


If You Want, If You Dare

by robertstanion



Series: Something You Pine For [4]
Category: Black Friday - Team StarKid, Hatchetfield Universe - Team StarKid, Nightmare Time - Team StarKid, The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Adoption, Angst, Eldritch Gods - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Forever and Always, Found Family, Heavy Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Jane's a Car, M/M, Mild Fluff, NIGHTMARE TIME SPOILERS PROCEED WITH CAUTION, TWs at the start of each chapter, The Black And White, The Hatchetfield Ape Man, Time Bastard, Watcher World, Witch in the Web, acab still applies, and colonel schaffer a break, but i speak for the trees, descriptions of violence, dimension 4, i do not speak for the characters, i rename the sniggles all the time, if among us was a book based in hatchetfield, if u r a part of peip u r a part of the fam now, it all goes downhill from here i am afraid, it's a paulkins book from chapter 24 onwards, multiple apocalypses, paul emma and lex work for peip, paulkins are married i swear, please give these children a hug, puts the paranormal in peip, tags to progress as the book does, xander has powers au, xander starts off dead in this one, yeah this ones definitely murder mystery vibes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 28
Words: 113,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27032287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robertstanion/pseuds/robertstanion
Summary: We’re returning back to the tiny town of Hatchetfield where everything is normal. Or so it should be. With PEIP fully operational with no clear up job in sight, things run smoother than ever before. It’s just unfortunate that the citizens of the island have started seeing dead people.If You Want, If You Dare is the fourth instalment of the Something You Pine For Series, but this time, there’s someone missing.
Relationships: Alice Woodward/Deb, Becky Barnes/Tom Houston, Bill Woodward/Sylvia, Charlotte/Sam, Charlotte/Ted (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Lex Foster/Ethan Green, Louisiana Hartford/Ruth Yates, Man In A Hurry/Gary Goldstein, Miss Holloway/Douglas "Duke" Keane, Nathaniel Kirk/Eric Moore (mentioned), Paul 23/Emdroid, Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins, Ted/Jenny (Nightmare Time), Xander Lee/John McNamara, past Miss Holloway/Wilbur Cross, past Nick Johnson/John McNamara
Series: Something You Pine For [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539838
Comments: 70
Kudos: 8





	1. The Nightmare's Gonna Get You

**Author's Note:**

> yOYO yes i did finish writing TLBTS literally two hours ago but stuf anyways!! hi!! hello!!! welcome to my book again!! enjoy your stay for however long this one goes on for 
> 
> as the chapters progress, nightmare time will become a major plot feature. so uh,,, have fun. yeah :)
> 
> this chapter contains mentions of homophobia, kicking out of home, death and also john getting drunk, falling in a lake and forgetting how to swim. pROCEEDIING-

For the first time in what felt like a while, a 35-year-old man with a thick head of golden hair stretched and woke. As soon as his eyes opened, he felt his head weighed down as if he’d fallen asleep for several years. He knew that that had to be a lie, because he remembered going to work yesterday, and the day before that, and so on, and so forth.

He led a life, not necessarily of luxury, but of purity. He worked for the united states military, a branch founded under General Gareth Icacks’ wish back in 1979. Ever since then, PEIP broadened and became a home for the unwanted, the abnormal, and quite frankly, if _you_ weren’t white, cisgender or straight, you belonged in PEIP.

He started his routine. He changed into his uniform, which was the dark purple variant for that day. He wore his work trousers and heavy military styled boots. He lit a cigarette as he pulled on his shirt, buttoning it up one handed before fastening his watch back to his wrist. He clenched the cigarette between his teeth and inhaled the fumes, an uncertain sense of joy filling him, goosebumps appearing on the back of his neck. While he had his hands free, he brushed his hair roughly before sweeping it up into a ponytail, and he did it all while looking at himself in the mirror.

There was the coldest of breezes in his room today, and he shuddered. He sat down on the bed, pulling his ash tray closer to him, as he planned out the day’s events in his head. He stroked a hand over his bearded chin and closed his eyes, thinking of what tasks needed to be completed and by who. All he needed to do, for his unusually short shift, was to ensure that his precinct ran smoothly. It’s what his mentor had done before he had, and it’s what Icacks had done before them both, He opened his eyes and smiled as he remembered what good luck he’d had since he was seventeen.

Originally, he’d been a child who’d grown up in the most toxic of households, one that no child should ever have to grow up in. He was told that being gay was bad, and that if he were to even dare as kiss another man, then he’d be sent to hell. It had frightened John, so he repressed his feelings as much as he could. It eventually became too much, and he broke down to his mother one day, confessing everything to her, pleading he wouldn’t be sent to the fiery realm. She’d hugged him and told him that being gay wasn’t a bad thing, and he was free to love whoever. He thought his coming out came well, and had gone to bed with a calmed smile on his face, but his father had woken him in the middle of the night with a bag packed. He’d picked John up and thrown him out of the house, slamming the door in his face.

He’d gone to Xander’s house after that. Xander was one of his closest friends while they were in high school, and his parents were the nicest people in the world. His mother was called Web under a nickname and his father was called Sean, and they were wonderful people who took John under their wing until he was back on his feet, which had been when he’d ran into a certain Colonel Wilbur Cross on the street on the way home from school. From then on, Wilbur had taken him home, given him a job, and with it, a life. He’d been ever so grateful back then, and he still was. He always would be.

He sighed deeply at the memory as he fastened his beret to his head and crushed the cigarette’s flame out as he laced up his boots. He grabbed his bag and walked downstairs and out to his car, a JEIP, designed by an agent who must have had a smart mind for the technology used wasn’t normal at all. He’d tried to find out who it was, but traces always stopped at 25th December 2018. That was only a year ago, and John required answers, but the agent who’d designed the car used by most of the PEIP agents who ran around carelessly, just like their general, didn’t exist.

It was certainly weird, but it did tie in to PEIPs beliefs and what they stood for, and it also stood for the abbreviation of the name of the branch. Paranormal, Extra-Terrestrial, Interdimensional, Phenomena, and John’s studies had led him to believe that the disappearance of someone insanely talented, such as the person who’d crafted his dearest JEIP, was a phenomenon in itself.

He drove the short distance from his house, which was the largest on the base, to his office. He parked outside it, unlocked the door, and stepped inside, where he was met with the familiar hustle and bustle of PEIP. He smiled and took a seat as he clicked his neck and stretched his muscles, typing in his login to the computer, beginning to check his emails, reading through queries that hadn’t been answered yet and further information on schedules and missions. He couldn’t help but smile and shake his head as, typing with his left hand, he reached a hand up and grabbed the ring he wore with his dog tags. He didn’t know where it had ever come from, but he’d found it in the pocket of his uniform one day, and had felt emotionally attached to it. His original plan was to sell it off, but he couldn’t do that with the wave of heavy guilt he felt when he tried to. He kept a hold of it, and it became comforting towards him.

He loaded up the radar to The Black and White on one screen of his monitor to keep an eye on that, and if anything went wrong, they’d just send an agent in to deal with it. He had a precinct, after all. It wasn’t like he was totally insane. He proceeded with his work as if it were nothing, but it was something to him. This was General John McNamara’s home, and fuck, did he love it.

He continued to work all throughout up until his designated slot for his break, and when it was time, he saved his work and stood, not noticing different coloured symbols appearing on the radar for The Black and White. He locked up his office and walked out and into the breakroom, smiling at his fellow agents.

“Good morning, friends.”

“He arrives! He isn’t _dead!”_ Emma said dramatically, and Paul laughed softly. “Jesus fuckin’ Christ, John, it only took you long enough. I practically aged up like…at least four years since the last time I saw you.”

John smiled and shook his head, nodding to Lex, and Colonel Schaffer, who were also sat there. “I take it today is running smoothly?”

“Oh yeah, except for the fact Lex saw a dead person,” Schaffer said casually as she continued to take notes, biting another chunk out of her sandwich.

“I fuckin’ didn’t…kinda…” Lex said, and huffed, part of her hair blowing up out of her face, rocking back in her chair. “Look, he didn’t _look_ like a dead person, but he definitely _was._ He had blood drippin’ down the side of his head, it was fuckin’ fucked.”

That raised the General’s attention and he turned to the youngest agent in the room, pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket, setting his lunch on the desk. “How unusual…”

“Yeah….Hannah said he was my dead boyfriend or something and that Webby said that he was good.”

“Ah, the return of Webby. The infamous spider from hell.” Following her speech, Emma dramatically draped herself against her husband, who laughed again and patted her head.

“The Black and White isn’t as hellish as pulling John out of a lake drunk,” Schaffer said and shrugged, still writing down notes, and John waved a hand dismissively.

“It was a fun night, you are excused.” He said and laughed, as he turned back to Lex. “But you mention a boy? An ex of yours? Do you remember what he looked like?”

“Yeah, uh, his name was Ethan? I don’t know, he went missin’ some time in fuckin’ middle school. He was one of the popular kids even back then, and girls wanted him and then he just…vanished.”

“Like your guy, John. What was his name? Xavier?” Schaffer asked and looked to him.

He shook his head. “Xander James Lee, he allowed me to stay with him while I got back on my footing. My mentor, Wilbur Cross, ended up presenting my life to me in his hands and I toom it gladly. I never saw him again.”

“You wanted to fuck him, we get it, John,” Paul said, and that caused Emma to laugh then.

“Oh, Mr Matthews, you do crack me up,” she said and beamed as she caught Paul in a kiss before standing. “My shift at Beanies starts in 20. I’ll see you all on Friday.”

“Bye, Emma.” The remaining soldiers said in unison before John shot daggers at Paul.

“I never said that.”

“You did imply it though, sir,” Lex said as she twirled her hair around her finger.

“This is beside the point.” John said and pinched the bridge of his nose. “There is something going on here. Lex is seeing dead people, Hannah is somehow involved, and…The Black and White became active momentarily Christmas day so-“

“A week and four days ago,” Schaffer said without looking up again, and John nodded to confirm it.

“That’s right. If my suggestions are correct…Lex’s dead ex is connected to The Black and White, and if he’s able to break free, even if it’s for split seconds…then what else is gonna break free?” As he spoke, the room went cold, and standing behind Paul was a man, wearing a blue suit with dark brown eyes and dark skin, and he was all too familiar. He’d grown up, since the last time John had seen him, but he was still just as beautiful. As soon as John blinked, the man was gone, and he shook his head.

“Sir, are you alright?” Paul asked, and John blinked again to snap himself out of his daze.

“Yes…I just got a little lost in thought.” He bit on his lip as he drew a quick sketch of the man down, and his figure was unmistakeable for anybody else on the island.

_That was Xander Lee._

* * *

Being stuck in The Black and White wasn’t fun, especially with the knowledge of what he had now. He was stuck in a realm with a small number of eldritch gods, some of which being good, others terrible. Unfortunately for him, there was a 2:4 good to bad ratio, and he was one half of the good. Finding out that he was a God hadn’t done any favours for him, for he’d just wanted to be Xander, but it explained a lot. It explained the powers, and it explained the pain, and it explained his constant sense to protect, especially if it was John.

John. Right. The very same, who, in that dimension, only saw Xander as a memory. He wasn’t there physically anymore, and he didn’t know if he ever would be again. He could hear every word the others were saying, and he realised he should be there. In his place at the break room table was Emma, and in Emma’s was Lex. He could hear everything, he could see everything, and his anger, which he’d dragged in the space between realms with him, had faded to mere sadness.

He needed out.

He couldn’t stay there for much longer, not with the gods who clearly despised him. For starters, there was Webby. Webby was the only one he liked. Webby, she had told him, had crafted him from the deaths of stars and the births of new planets. She’d taken threads of the universe and given him a power, and though it was intended for her to train him to be the protector of earth while she couldn’t, things went haywire, and the Sniggles got to him first. He ended up on his back, as a baby, on the floor of PEIP, in only a blanket, in the hands of Sean Lee. Xander got lucky with his chosen father, Webby told him, for things could have gone catastrophically wrong if the Sniggles were involved.

There was also Astraia. Astraia was one of the only ones who’d done the least amount of damage for him, but she’d almost killed John. She was the reasoning behind The Apotheosis, for Astraia was a name heavily tied to the stars, as was she. She carved a pathway between galaxies and, with it, took a meteor like it were a butterfly, corrupted it with a singing virus with the capability to create a pandemic, and fluttered it down to earth, creating her aim just perfectly, raining all hell on Hatchetfield. Xander knew about that. Xander had been there to witness it. He’d seen the outcome, and it had almost ended with him cradling John’s dead body.

There was Wilbur Cross, who liked to rub it in Xander’s face that he wasn’t getting John back and that John wasn’t going to want him back even if he returned to earth. He was the first corrupted by one of the main gods, being Wiggly. He wore a blood-stained jacket, almost like it was a trophy of his achievements, which were the several murders of people he’d claimed as victim and sent to their end. In fact, he always wore denim, and always had his gingery brown hair slicked back. Xander, at first thought, hoped he had hair gel in this realm, but then he realised he got the redness from a different kind of liquid, and it was the blood that paved the floor.

There was Linda, who’s blood, once drained, dripped down the walls of The Black and White and added to the floor. She had always _wanted_ to be adored but never got it. She found her fucking fantasies in Gary Goldstein, literally, and their affair was set up shortly after she had her second child with Gerald Monroe, who clearly wasn’t good enough. She married for money, and love wasn’t involved, but Goldstein adored her. Then his stupid little boyfriend got in the way, and her plan was foiled. She obtained a doll, and Xander was the one to pierce her skull. Did she remember? He hoped not.

Then there were the dolls, two brothers who sparked chaos anywhere and everywhere that they could. The larger one, being Tickle-Me Wiggly, took shape as an underwater creature who could kill under influence. He wasn’t able to access the real world, so his Uncle Wiley made dolls that resembled him to help his plan. Once he promised all the adults of Hatchetfield they’d get their hearts filled with their only desires to heal them, then he struck for the kill, and soon, half of the population was dead. He was green in colour, a glowing green, with bright yellow-white headlamps for eyes that shone throughout the realm, and it was bitterly terrifying. He always was.

His brother, who was the more annoying, and clearly what would be the younger one of them, was named Blinky. Just Blinky. Blinky was new to Xander’s memory, so he figured that, if he’d continued with Dimension 3, he’d have ended up meeting Blinky at a later stage. He was coated in various shades of dark purple fur on his head, legs and arms, with his stomach being a vibrant pink, and his head consisting of a single yellow eye with a bright blue iris, just like Wiggly’s. The difference was that, under the head, was a man on Earth, and in here too. To disguise himself, and to blend in with the others, he took form as a 17-year-old clone of Xander, just with yellow eyes. No, literally, he couldn’t joke about that. In The Black and White, however, he remained the doll everyone grew to hate, but he could kill if he wanted to. He chose not to, and left it to the elders.

There were two sets of Sniggles, which were great. There were the ones Xander was familiar with, Pob, Moon, Eldy, Stone, Spy, Cat, Blush and Star, who wore the green shirts, the fuzz and the headbands with _Wiggly_ across the front, but these new ones were different. They had boring names, for starters, like Snigglette and Snigglotts, and they wore purple shirts with _Blinky_ across the front. That made sense too. The Bliggles, as Xander had taken to call them, certainly had something for murder, while the Sniggles had something for arson.

He was stuck with arson committing bastards.

But Webby guided him through his time there, and helped him achieve his goal. She placed her hands on his shoulders, having shrunk down to regular size, and peered through the glass panel to the real world. “Focus, and you’ll be there.”

He zoomed in on the conversation, and though only for a short period, he was back on earth, with ground under his feet, and he could see John. He could tell that John saw him too, and he hoped that he could see him, and they’d be able to reach each other.

There’d been a rumour that Lex had confirmed of a kid in here called Ethan, whose uncle was visibly insane, though everyone brushed him off, and Webby was determined to find the kid, because she could tell he was good. Wilbur, however, sought for Hidgens, and Xander was stuck in the middle of it. He just wanted to go home. Could he go home?

He sure hoped so.


	2. Haunt Me Like A Ghost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John discovers some things, and surprise surprise, Xander's having a crises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWS: uh, very brief mention to how xander died in book 3. and uh,,, heavy nightmare time spoilers gangalang

John looked down at the piece of paper he had in his hand and had to bite back any emotion that dared to express itself on his face. He was looking down at the face of Xander James Lee, the man he’d learned to fall in love with in high school who’d mysteriously vanished, almost like he’d been plucked from thin air. It didn’t make sense, especially considering Xander wasn’t the first person to go missing in such a circumstance. As far as the general was concerned, however, Xander was the only one to appear in such a unique form. One that pushed the limits that all of PEIP knew and had abided by until that moment. Xander Lee appeared as a ghost to John, and though only appearing for a split second, John was sure that Xander hadn’t appeared to anyone else in the room. 

He could feel his breathing waver as he folded the paper up, sliding it into his breast pocket. He zipped it up and checked his watch, uttering a sigh of relief. Thank _god_ that it was the end of his break, because if he had to stay in that room for much longer, he may break down there and then, which couldn’t happen when he had to keep a professional image around the precinct. He rose and said his goodbyes to the other agents, who saluted to him, which gave John the chance to slip out.

Once a safe distance away from the breakroom, he found his footing speeding up, and before he realised what he was doing, he wasn’t walking to his office, but, instead, sprinting. He needed answers, he needed pure answers that could be written in ink without being able to be erased. John wasn’t stopping until he had those answers, until he could bring his old friend to justice. 

Taking a sharp gasp of air, he fumbled in his trouser pockets for the keys to unlock his office when he felt a gust of wind flutter through his hair. His breath hitched and he stopped his movements, hesitantly moving his head to the side. He could sense the change in the air, the sudden amount of danger that swarmed him, and he immediately became uneasy when he saw who was at the end of the corridor. He was back, just like he’d been in the breakroom. Dark skin hidden under a blue suit, his short black hair cut down to his scalp. John couldn’t take it; he couldn’t bare to see Xander in such a manner. Though the transparency of the other man was mostly gone at that point, it wasn’t gone entirely which was the concerning thing. He wasn’t real, he wasn’t _there,_ yet John felt drawn to him. He wasn’t able to take his eyes off of him as Xander shook his head, almost in a disciplining way, and when John blinked again, all that was left of the other man was blue particles that danced around each other before fading out of the atmosphere. 

The general, shaken enough as he was, grabbed his keys and, with shaking hands and shaking breaths, jammed the golden key into the lock, twisting it sharply to the left. Once he heard the reassuring click of his office door, he pushed it open and stepped inside, before locking it behind him. Whatever was happening in the precinct today wasn’t normal, and it truly _was_ putting the “Paranormal” in Paranormal Extra-Terrestrial Interdimensional Phenomena. He looked around the office, and once clarifying that he was safe and nothing was out of its usual order, he rushed to his desk, slipping into the leather chair. From there, he loaded up files on his monitor, the one on the left hosting a variety of emails, and the one on the right hosting his notes from the case he’d been studying. 

He couldn’t really call it a regular occurrence, for it wasn’t, but what also wasn’t a regular occurrence was the HFPD and PEIP teaming up to try and solve a case. It meant PEIP were forced to keep more things undercover, and it also meant he had to see his fuckwit of a cousin more often. The bastard was still cheating on his wife, John was “glad to find out,” when he’d seen Sam at the start of the mission. Why he was boasting about it, he’d never know. There were better things to focus on than the affair of his cousin, he remembered, as he got his mind back in the correct place and loaded up more files. 

The HFPD were only aware of two people going missing, and that was Xander Lee and Jane Perkins, but what _they_ didn’t know was PEIP, in recent years through disclosed sources, had figured out there were six who’d disappeared mysteriously, just like Xander had. This case was labelled “XLJ-214” for no reason whatsoever. It focused on trying to solve the disappearances of six people, being Jane Perkins, Linda Monroe, Xander Lee, Ethan Green, Wilbur Cross and Ted Spankoffski. So far, only one of those cases had been solved to a full entirety, and that was with Wilbur. John knew exactly what happened to his ex-mentor, and yet, if anyone were to ask, he’d have to explain that even with the case closed, information was still missing. 

Nobody would ask, though, for the HFPD had done an extremely good job at not leaking anything, for once. Considering they were _the_ most hated people on the island, aside from Doug, and usually fucked things up, except Doug, they hadn’t fucked this one up. Thank the heavens they hadn’t, because if they did, PEIP would have to eliminate them from existence. John would probably enjoy eradicating his cousin from history, but he wouldn’t kill Doug; they were just too sweet. Besides, Paul kept talking about how his friend, Melissa, would definitely have extreme feelings if Doug died too. 

Shaking himself off again, John pulled out the piece of paper from his pocket and looked at the quick outline of Xander he’d drawn. He’d aged quite a lot, but he was still just as beautiful. His eyes were welcoming, but they weren’t warm anymore, and he appeared to be more muscular than what he remembered. He swallowed a lump in his throat, turning and pinning the drawing on the board behind him. It was scenarios like these were John often wished to have a Xander in his life. 

Xander had wanted to be a physicist. He enjoyed figuring out how things worked, like engines and vehicles, but he was also very fond of space and the universe. John knew this, for he never shut up about it back in high school. He used to drape himself against John, rambling some bullshit while John revised or did homework. The other two friends in the group, Jasmine Porter and Helen Schaffer, teased Xander about his interest, but not in a foul way. It may have appeared to Xander that John wasn’t listening to his facts, but because of his friend, he gained a place at PEIP under Wilbur Cross’ guide with the expansive knowledge of the universe he’d been able to obtain. 

It wasn’t enough. What he knew wasn’t enough. There had to be more, of course there did. He loaded up another document and a piece of paper, rolling his chair to the side bench at the left of the room, where a smaller laptop stood. It constantly ran and wasn’t to be shut off, as it controlled and monitored the portal to The Black and White. They didn’t have the correct technology to monitor what was happening inside of the realm yet, which is why John spent quite a large amount of money on a set of laboratories for a team of three scientists to station themselves in. He’d only found one person willing for the job, and that had been Emma Perkins, and she only worked part time. Though it wasn’t ideal, she was doing her best, and slowly, they were advancing forward. 

John placed the piece of paper down and hoisted himself from his chair to the stool that was placed under the bench. John needed flexible seating in his office or else he would become uncomfortable and wouldn’t be able to focus, which wasn’t good for him when he had to have long days of filling out paperwork. He wrote down the case name and code, as well as his signature to clarify he was the one filing this report, before turning back to the screen, punching in the same code he’d written on the sheet of paper moments before. With an infinite amount of universes, and an even wider amount of opportunities, John had expected for the laptop to show John the results in cases of hundreds, possibly even thousands, that may reveal evidence as to what was happening in Hatchetfield, but it didn’t. It read something incredibly unusual, being:

_ Specimens BYXJ 3.0, BYXJ 3.1, BXYF 1.1, BYXF 1.0, BYXF 1.1 _

“Only five?” John whispered to himself before he transferred the codes on to the paper and manoeuvred himself back to his chair, which he rolled back over to his desk. Once back at his computer, he typed in the codes, and furrowed his eyebrows at the results that came from them. There were files that hadn’t been there before, five to be exact, and John knew for he checked those files _every day._ He moved the mouse and hovered it over each individual file and his eyes went wide at the results. 

BYXJ 3.0: The Apotheosis –  Paul Matthews (1.0), under Coven Communications Research and Power, finds himself caught in a musical pandemic, and yet he has to be the one to stop it. Events and time monitored by Webby & Pokotho.

BYXJ 3.1: Black Friday –  Becky Barnes, Tom Houston and Alexandra Foster, three beloved citizens, each find themselves at the Lakeside Mall in search of a Wiggly doll (formed by Wilbur Cross (2.4.)) As expected, things took a turn for the worst extremely quickly. Events and time monitored by Webby & Wiggog Y’wrath.

BYXF 1.0: The Hatchetfield Ape-Man:  Gullible Duchess from the heart of England, Lucy Stockworth, attends her yearly trip to Hatchetfield in search of Chumby, the Ape Man. After a recent encounter with Professor Henry Hidgens (2.9), she realises she shouldn’t trust so quickly. Events and time monitored by Webby.

BYXF 1.1: Watcher World:  Father daughter duo Alice and Bill Woodward take a trip to the abandoned theme park of “Watcher World” on the shore of Hatchetfield, but once they arrive, they realise they get more than they bargain for when they encounter Wilbur “Uncle Wiley” Cross (4.8) and his wrath. Events and time monitored by Webby, Wilbur “Uncle Wiley” Cross & Bliklotep 

BYXF 1.2: Forever And Always/Time Bastard:  At the wedding of Paul Matthews and Emma Perkins, or Emdroid and Paul 23, Ted Spankoffski (3) finds himself on the back end of time travel. After going back too far in an attempt to convince the one he loves not to move to Clivesdale, he ends up being stuck homeless, jobless, and on the streets as The Homeless Man. Events and time monitored by Webby T’noy Karaxis 

BYXF 1.3:  tbc

BYXF 1.4:  tbc

Everyone mentioned in the synopsis’ John knew either personally, or through someone he knew personally. Paul and Emma were PEIP agents, Henry Hidgens was Emma’s biology professor, Wilbur was John’s mentor and so on, so forth. It didn’t add up. Was this what Xander had wanted him to see? No. Xander didn’t exist- Xander was _still_ missing, and he certainly wasn’t communicating with John in a way that resembled a ghost. It just couldn’t be him. 

But John had hope. It was only a little amount, but it was there. He swallowed his breath and rose from his chair, grabbing his notes. He unlocked the door, and as he went to head left toward the breakroom, where he knew the others would still be, he felt a chill on his neck. He didn’t hesitate that time, expecting to see Xander to the right of him, but down the corridor, where the new and mostly unused science labs were, stood someone else. Green light streamed up through the indestructible tiling that paved PEIPs floors, as a skeleton of a man stood in place of who should have been there. With a flash of green, and a blinding headache that pierced John’s skull, he got a glimpse of his former mentor. Greasy black hair slicked back, tied behind his head in a small, low ponytail, still dressed in denim. There was quite obviously a smirk that painted his face, and with a bite of the apple and a blink of the eye, he was gone. 

John found his breath hitching as he heard music playing from under the floorboards that only he seemed to hear. Panic stricken, he locked up his office once more and rushed off in the other direction. If The Black and White was truly trying to reach John, what did they want from him? What did they need? Most importantly, _who_ did they need? Deep down, he knew he knew the answers, but it was the case of if he accepted them or not. For now, he needed to get to the alley between Beanies and a run down liquor store to see if he could find this Homeless Man, and if he was…maybe he could get answers from Ted Spankoffski and set everything right.

* * *

There was a growl on the edge of his voice as he barked and cackled, fading back to the realm he knew so well. He opened his eyes and found himself already at the table with the rest of the group stuck there, aside from one. He hummed a pleasant little tune to announce his return, and once he knew all eyes were on him, he spoke. “Well, widdle Johnny-Won knows about Spankoffski now. Lieutenant Xander Lee, would you care to explain?” Wilbur sharply turned his head to face the physicist, who sat to the right-hand side of him, a seat empty in between the two of them. With Xander at the head of the table, it wasn’t easy to hide from the several faces there, and yet, somehow, the younger man remained casual. He had his arms folded neatly across his chest, and his eyes were pointed directly forward. His face was stern, and colder than the realm they were trapped in. 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Fascinating.” Wilbur laughed again and drummed his hands on the table to what appeared to be a familiar beat as he saw the physicist flinch then, and one of Webby’s legs wrapped around him. “For the files that appeared on General McNamara’s computer…are all associated…with us.” 

“I wasn’t involved,” Xander bit back, but his nose scrunched up as he spoke. There was a soft pop and another figure joined them at the table, filling the gap between Xander and Wilbur. 

“Yeah, it couldn’t’ve been Xan, man! He can’t fuckin’ communicate with John! ‘Sides, the only _two_ of us that have the courage to communicate with our loved ones from here are me and Web! You ain’t considered, you ain’t special. Ya just _think_ you are because you’re the only one of us who’s been able to go to Earth and use your powers that way without the assistance of another human!”

“That fact is actually incorrect,” Linda sighed at the other figure as she checked out her nail polish on her left hand, wiping the blood from the open bullet wound with her right. “He required my assistance. They all did.”

“That’s actually incorrect,” Webby sighed harshly, her eyes going wide, as she looked towards the others. “Xander wasn’t a part of this, he’s right.”

“So, who’d know how to move the _exact_ formulae of the universe, code it to John McNamara’s computer that provides evidence on the world and what happened in those dimensions? With Paul dying at the hands of Pokey-“ Wilbur said, only for a flash of blue to blind them. 

“Astraia,” the figure corrected, as they ran a hand through their hair. “I’m the person behind The Apotheosis, I’m the god almighty! I’m the sinner! I was the meteor, Pokey’s just my puppet! The little bitch,” she snarled, and Wilbur rolled his eyes. 

“Dying at the hands of _Astraia_ then. Paul 23 and Emdroid, what happened to Spankoffski, how Bill and Alice Woodward magically fixed their bond, what happened to Linda and you, Ethan, on Black Friday in 2018, and most importantly, Jane Perkins.” Wilbur laughed and turned back to face Xander. “But what about you, Lieutenant? Surely, you’d wanna go home and see your baby boy.”

“Don’t talk about him like that.”

“So, you can _watch_ him.” Bliklotep said, and there came a shrill laugh from the right of him. 

“So you can _tickle his tumsy wumsy!”_

“So you can keep him in your arms forever!” T’noy Karaxis added as the three burst out laughing, and Webby rolled her eyes at her brothers’ antics. 

The table was never usually that full, but it appeared Wilbur summoned a full meeting that time. With Xander at the top of the table, it meant he got placements of who was to the left and right of him, and order was out of control from there on out. Webby sat to Xander’s right, with her long white hair covering her dress. Depending on her mood, or her position, her skin would darken or lighten. She is the light, and she guided the way. To Webby’s right was Astraia, the meteor, the apotheosis. The thing Xander learned to realise was that the dolls always had an accomplice, and it was a godly like one at that, and the dolls took the nicknames of the Gods themselves. Astraia, who formerly went by Pokotho, had a doll herself, as did the others. Pokey, the smaller and more naïve version of Astraia, sat to her right. He was a blueish purple doll with sunken eyes, and a face that resembled a mask from a horror film. Out of the dolls Xander encountered, Pokey was the sweetest one. 

To the right of Pokey was Bliklotep. Bliklotep took form as a black man with purple undertones to the skin. He dressed in a full purple suit of what appeared to be real fur and carried a helmet around with him that had one yellow eyeball in the centre of it. His doll was Blinky, the watcher, the seer, who ran Watcher World as if it were nothing. Their goal was to take over and to empower the lives of others, leaving them vulnerable and hostile. Blinky had assistance with a set of Sniggles, but Xander had yet to meet them. From what Webby had told him, he didn’t want to meet them either. 

To the right of Blinky was T’noy Karaxis, or, for short, Tinky, which was incredibly underwhelming. Tinky was a pale man with thick golden hair he wore in a braid and, much like Xander, wore a yellow suit, just more or less like a Victorian era. He also had real goat horns that grew from his temples, and teal eyes. His doll took the shape of a man, just with a goat face with huge, bucked teeth. The only difference was that T’noy Karaxis _was_ his doll and could shapeshift with ease. He was the deceitful being, and with his ‘toybox,’ he was invincible. 

Then there was Wibblenephim. Xander wasn’t exactly sure _what_ Wibblenephim was or what his purpose was, but he was sure as shit there. The human form of Wibblenephim was a petite girl with long, rosy pink hair, who wore a rose gold leather jacket over the top of a pale pink shirt, with dark pink jeans and heeled boots to accompany her outfit. Xander heard Astraia refer to her as “Baby” or “Petalia,” but he wasn’t sure _what_ her name was. Her doll was creepy, and he had to admit that. It was pink with a cream stomach, and it bared a _lot_ of teeth, as it’s face was almost entirely it’s smile. It had a dark pink heart for a nose, and it’s eyes were on the side of it’s head like a sheep. Xander came to the conclusion Wibblenephim, or “Nibbly” for short, had to do with something regarding the relationships that occurred in Hatchetfield. 

Last but not least of the dolls was Wiggog Y’wrath, who was a mixture of his brothers. He took form mainly as a sea creature with long tentacles and headlamps for eyes, but occasionally, he’d catch a glimpse of a young teenaged boy in the realm, almost an identical image of Wilbur. He had slicked back green hair, green-yellow skin and wore a green blazer with jeans, much like his master. Wiggog Y’wrath took pride in the fact he was the first to have a doll, named “Tickle-Me Wiggly,” or Wiggly for short, and he also took pride in the fact he had a set of Sniggles too. Xander liked Wiggly’s Sniggles, but only some of them. 

On the right of Wiggly, who was in his sea creature form, was Linda Monroe, who bled eternally from the bullet wound in her forehead. Xander shuddered every time he even remotely looked her way, with the knowledge that the reason she wound up there was because of him. Next to her was Wilbur Cross, the greasy bastard, and then there was Ethan Green. 

Ethan Green, who should have been alive as he was in the reset but wasn’t. He was burdened with the injury he obtained during the first Black Friday, but he smiled. Ethan was special. He was still able to communicate with Hannah, and through Hannah was Lex. Ethan had his somebody, Ethan had his family. He wasn’t sure if Tony Green knew about Ethan’s whereabouts, he was sure he wasn’t informed, but there was always that chance. Sometimes, Xander pondered on the fact if he just focused on what he wanted, maybe he’d break out of the realm, but he knew of that consequence.

It’d hurt John. It’d hospitalise him. He’d feel a splitting pain that’d start along the parting of his hair which would feel like someone splitting open his head, and his vision would go a bright white. He’d writhe in pain, screaming in agony, possibly sobbing as he clutched his head, pleading for it to stop. That was the only way he could stay out of The Black and White for longer than what he already was doing, and he could see the affects it had on him already. 

John’s anxiety was heightened, and he was becoming paranoid. He was ten steps away from a mental breakdown at all time. Xander could see all, but John couldn’t see Xander even when Xander could see him. When Xander chose to let John see him, then he could, but he didn’t most of the time. He didn’t want to watch John cry. He couldn’t touch him, couldn’t hold him. He couldn’t tell him how much he loved him, because he was from a different dimension. In this one, Xander Lee was a missing man, and it’s how he’d remain forever unless John and his clever mind discovered something useful with his team…but a part of Xander didn’t want to take the risk of leaving The Black and White to return home. 

Christmas Day 2018. His powers had overwhelmed him, and with a gun to his head, and a feathery sensation that lifted him up, he’d died. Being dead was a surreal feeling, and hearing John’s sobs- no. _Shrieks._ Hearing John shrieking his name, begging for him to open his eyes…it did hurt...He’d been foolish. He’d been foolish to fall for _that_ John. That John had run back to Nick instantly, but in this universe, in this dimension, Nick Johnson didn’t exist, and neither did Elle. 

If Xander went back…John would be a healthy man. 

“Silence, children!” Wilbur shouted at once, and Xander moved his eyes from his lap, where they’d been resting, looking towards their master’s eyes. “As of now, John McNamara is on his way to find Ted Spankoffski, now known as The Homeless Man in Hatchetfield. We can’t let that happen. So…who wants to bring the Teddy back to the box? Seal it for good? And then no more glass, no more windows. No more _Webby.”_

Xander looked to Webby then, helpless, and she remained stone faced, and her eyes were a lighter white. Around her, Wiggly, Blinky and Tinky began to laugh, coating themselves in their screams as Xander swallowed his fear. 

_ Be safe, John. For me.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just to say i would dIE for pokey.
> 
> and also the table scene??? hatchetfield characters play among us in real life to try and find out who sent john the files??? (it was xander if you couldn't tell, but xander still holds a lot of guilt against himself)
> 
> anyway mr spankoffski appears in chapter 3 !! what's good whats good!


	3. Somewhere Far From Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur Cross visits his nephew and produces an offer, and Xander can only watch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love webby 2020 anyways:
> 
> tws: i dont think there r any tbh, just mild mentions of death

Ted Spankoffski knew some things, and he’d seen some things, and that day had changed his life indefinitely, and left him scarred and unable to function like he had before. He remembered the event as if it were yesterday, for how was it something he could forget easily. It wasn’t like he could even if he wanted to anyways. It started with remembering Paul and Emma’s wedding and how he hadn’t received an invitation, yet the rest of the office had. From people as minute like Bill and Sylvia, Melissa, Charlotte and Sam (fuck Sam) to people on the higher levels who Paul rarely even spoke to, they got a golden ticket to the event Hatchetfield had been waiting for for so long, but not him. He understood fully why he hadn’t, but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt any less. 

It was fully down to the fact that he was the greasiest sleazeball that roamed the island. He refused to fall in love, so he hooked up with person after person after person, but never fucked them more than thrice. He probably had kids he didn’t know about because he couldn’t stop the attitude he’d learned to develop over recent years. It was the same attitude that leaked into his old personality in hopes of making him the man to get Jenny back. Jenny seemed like a person who belonged to the universe now, someone faded with age, but the memories remained as distinct as they ever had. Jenny, his beloved Jenny, with the red hair that was shaped into gentle waves who’d been _the_ only girl he’d ever fallen in love with, or _had_ ever fallen in love with, set sail for Clivesdale the morning he went to ask her out which fucking sucked, because she was supposed to be his.

He thought he’d never find that love again, but apparently, he ended up finding someone good enough for his conditions, not once, but twice. The first time was with Charlotte Lowery, his fellow colleague who was treated dreadfully by her husband. The man, Samuel, was a police officer, which was immediately a red flag. He boasted about how much he hated his cousin, and how his wife was a bitch, and how he always demanded to see her. He figured assholeness ran in the family because Sam’s cousin shot Ted in one dimension, but he was also a _cop._ He hated Sam more than anyone on the island, and considering Ted hated humanity as a species, it said a lot.

But then there was the other one. She wasn’t Jenny, with the red hair in the waves, and she wasn’t any Charlotte either. No. She was British for starters, and her name was Duchess Lucy Stockworth who came from the heart of England. In that dimension, Henry Hidgens had taken her back to his fortress in the middle of the woods, and had convinced Ted to play the significant role of “The Hatchetfield Ape-Man” so _he_ could steal it to fund Workin’ Boys, his new musical. Somehow, he’d foolishly agreed, and in the process, he’d fallen in love with her and had also died. That had been “fun.”

But Jenny…she was different, and his heart would always belong to her. Unfortunately, she had fallen in love with an _asshole._ When it happened, Ted had been ‘Teddy’ and also a college kid who wore his brunette hair loose and not slicked back like he liked to now, He wore fandom T-Shirts and actually got decent grades. He still had the alcohol problem, but it was genetic at that point, and he figured if his baby brother didn’t have it, then he had it himself. He never found out about Jenny’s feelings for him until it was too late. Until _Jenny_ ran off with fucking _Andy_ with the blonde hair and the fancy suits with the _money._ Ted envied him, and envy turned to hatred, when he realised, she’d been whisked away to Clivesdale by such a sleaze.

That was the start of his story. He became a sleaze in hopes of impressing Jenny, in hopes of winning her back. The universe gave Ted a huge middle finger when, as he grew up and became the notorious alcoholic at CCRP Tech, he never crossed her path again. Jenny never left his mind, and he always felt like she was behind him in one way or another.

It made her harder to forget when whatever the fuck that _goatman_ had showed him the future, showed him _his_ future in another dimension. It wasn’t Paul and Emma’s wedding at all. It was his and _Jenny’s._ Jenny was incredibly beautiful in that gown she wore. It wasn’t white, for pure white meant purity and chastity, so she settled for an ivory colour instead. After all, marrying Ted Spankoffski meant that you were _not_ going to be chaste. On his and Jenny’s wedding day, things had gone his way, and nothing should have gone wrong.

But it did. After heading back to CCRP to hand in _Paul’s_ weekly reports, not his own, but his buddy, Paul’s, he discovered that his office was a fucking time machine. He went 85 years in the future, where CCRP Tech was now _run_ by Andy, before he figured how to send himself back in time. So, he went back to the very day it all went wrong. October 17th, 2004. He may have drugged the past version of himself, but little Teddy Spankoffski, with a baby brother at home who cried too loud while his parents were drunk, had no experience with girls at all. He’d accidentally killed Jenny in that dimension and hadn’t been able to go back. Tinky found him, for he always did, the blonde-haired man in a golden suit that faded to black as he moved further in the light. He’d opened the box and showed Ted the contents. He’d been stuck in 2004, as a 35-year-old man, and once it hit 2019, he was 50 years old, which fucking sucked. Homeless, and 50, with little to no change in his pocket, he never figured out how he managed to survive.

He figured it had something to do with how his soul was in the box that Tinky kept close to him. It wasn’t like he’d let something _that_ valuable out of his sight. The box contained every soul of every person who’d ever exist, and who hadn’t existed yet. It wasn’t just those who lived on the island, either. They were from every country, every town, every city. Every person’s soul was controlled by Tinky, so when people said, ‘everything happens for a reason,’ in a way, they were right. It all lead back to Tinky.

Apparently in that universe, something like dimension 4, his younger counterpart lived alongside the real him…or what should be named ‘the original’ him. He saw Ted walking down from CCRP, sometimes with coworkers, sometimes with a girl, to Beanies. He watched Ted walk back as well, but his younger self never shot him a glance. Nobody did, for nobody cared. It led to 15 years of pain and discomfort, having to sleep in an old coat and a beanie to keep warm, and that was all year round. His life fucking sucked, but that was what he got for being the Time Bastard.

He knew everything. Did it make him omnipotent? He wasn’t quite sure. He’d viewed the depths of the future; he’d viewed the depths of all time which had restrained him to stop being his own person at his full potential. He’d seen universes that haunted him. A universe where he’d died at the hands of the fuckin’ military by General John McNamara, a universe where he thought the treacherous day had been over and he’d held his little brother’s hand so tightly, and a nuke had hit them directly. The last thing he remembered was his younger brother’s shrill scream and then darkness. Pure darkness. And he was back.

Resets were painful. There was always an agonising tingle in his body that certified him fading into existence. He always felt as if he’d woken from a 20-year nap, and his head would pound as he made shape of his surroundings. They never changed. He was always in the same coat, with the same beanie, with little to no money at all, and it always sucked. He was living in an endless cycle, and in the shittiest way possible. He’d tried to get jobs, he tried to get himself back on his feet, but he couldn’t. It was all Tinky’s doing. He fucking hated Tinky as well.

He knew it had been a small while ago because the pounding in his head had yet to fade. He’d adapted to them by now; it wasn’t hard to when he’d gone through several of them in his time of living. It did suck, how he’d had to experience it so many times, but he learned to deal with it no matter what happened in that one reality. A tragedy? No, not really. It couldn’t be considered that when it was something unfixable. Time was supposed to go on like this, it had to happen, unfortunately.

What most certainly did not have to happen was seeing the figure of his uncle across the road from him. Jet black hair greased back, similarly to how he used to wear his own, except this time, there was no uniformed man standing before him, except one in all denim. Denim? He didn’t know why; he explicitly remembered his uncle saying that denim was tacky and should only be worn on extreme occasions. And there he stood, on the other side of the road, with a wide smirk on his face. A car passed and he was gone, only for Ted to hear a very sudden noise behind him. A crunch of the apple. It started Ted deeply as he turned around to face his uncle, who had been supposedly missing for…16 years, or close to that.

“Uncle Will, jeez, can’t you learn _not_ to give an old guy a heart attack?”

“I could, but I ain’t gonna.” He took another bite of the apple and looked down to his nephew. He crouched down to his level and raised an eyebrow. “You’ve met my friendy wends, ain’t ya?”

“I don’t know what you mean?” Ted asked, and he really didn’t. He knew his uncle had been a little bit round the bend before he’d gone missing, but now he was speaking an entirely new language, and it was definitely concerning.

“Sorry, let me rephrase it for you, mortal. _T’noy Karaxis,”_ he said as he rolled his tongue, grinning. “Or, more importantly, Tinky and his Toy Box.”

Ted’s eyes widened at that. What did his uncle know that he didn’t? “Uncle Wilbur…but-“

“Where do ya think I’ve been for the past few years, Teddy? Just missin? Nah, of course I ain’t! I’ve been in The Black and White, with Tinky himself, and Wiggly, Blinky, Pokey and Nibbly as well as Webby and Alexander. Oh yeah. I died by Miss fucking _Holloway._ ” He snorted as he laughed, and Ted was taken back. “I don’t think you’re crazy. So, I’m here to offer you somethin’, Teddy Bear. Right now, you’re stuck in the body of a man that ain’t you. So, let me present this to you.” He held his hand out, and there it was, a golden key that looked like it could fit into a shape so utterly familiar to Ted that it was almost nauseating. “You can have complete control over the universe. Join me, Teddy. Join your Uncle Will, won’t ya? Hatchetfield will get conclusion as to where you went, because they’ll find ya dead. But your soul? It’ll live on. Like mine.”

“Why would I ever do that?” He questioned, and almost as quick as Wilbur had appeared, another girl appeared beside her. Fine red hair woven into perfect waves, with bright sea-blue eyes and the brightest smile Ted had ever seen. She was dressed in a white ballgown and held a bouquet of red flowers in her hand, and one in her hair.

“I’m here, Teddy. And I love you, too. I always did.” She held her hand out to Ted, and he almost had to stop himself.

He could feel himself reaching out to Jenny, longing to feel her hand again, and he was so tempted to. He was tempted to give everything up and go into whatever The Black and White was with her, the love of his life, the only girl he’d ever loved. He was about to grab her hand when he heard another voice at the end of the alleyway.

“Theodore Spankoffski, my name is General John McNamara of the United States Military and I am ordering you to come with me.”

* * *

Fear had never felt like such a friend until Xander had encountered him face to face. He’d figured it out by that point. He figured it out, the order of the universe and therefore the order of the dolls. Webby was the eldest sibling out of the six. With her silverish skin that darkened and lightened depending on the area of The Black and White they were held in; she was the only one to be indestructible. She wasn’t considered a God, but more of a friend. That’s how she saw herself, and it’s how Xander saw her. She had pure white hair cut with bangs at the front, and her six eyes were a soft amber. She wore a white ballgown, that was embroidered with silver webs. She was the all-powerful, and Xander was glad, even with Wilbur thinking he was the all-powerful, that there was someone to keep order.

Wiggly was the oldest brother. Wiggog T’Wrath was the oldest, and he was the one to cause the most havoc. He snatched the souls of the innocent with the tentacles that plagued the front of his mask, and his blue eyes went wild. He didn’t care. He was ruthless and proved it by damning the souls of Wilbur and Linda, and trapping Ethan in the place. He survived the last reset. He shouldn’t be here.

Wibblenephim was the second oldest brother. They appeared more as their feminine side than masculine, and they were the controllers of the romance, but not soulmates. They chose when to burden someone without chaste, and when to divorce, when to marry, when to get together. They were experienced, and they were actually one of the least dangerous in there.

T'noy Karaxis had to be considered one of the worst ones there, aside from his older brother. Being the middle child, he did fight for attention, and he sure as hell got it when it came. He was the god in the suit, and he made sure everyone was aware of his presence. With his BTEC Rubix cube, and the horns he wore proudly on his head, he was the equivalent of the devil.

Blinky was the second youngest. He was one of the more fun ones to hang around with, as much as Xander hated to admit it. He was like the teenager of the group, and always knew what appealed to them, hence the amusement park to lure victims in, hence the watching. He knew teenagers were paranoid, and he wanted to use it against them, which is what he did well. However, deep down, he was just a troubled kid forced to live that way against his will. He hated it, and it was something Xander could relate to all too well.

And then there was Pokey. Pokey, the youngest of the group, who caused the first apocalypse known to PEIP. He turned people into musical, singing zombies. Though he was the youngest, he was by far the smartest. He genetically reconstructed people to go with his will, not against it. He wiped out the entire island, and then, the entire world. Xander had originally turned his nose up at the thought of The Apotheosis, but after studying it some more, he figured that it had taken a lot to get it going, and to get it in order.

Then there were the humans, Wilbur, Linda and Ethan. The Black and White was basically hell, so he could understand why Cross and Monroe were there, but Ethan? Ethan, sure, he’d been to jail a couple of times, but it didn’t mean he was a bad person. He was just a stoner dropout, and though it shouldn’t be condoned, it definitely wasn’t the worst thing to happen to the island. He was undeserving of being there. He should be with Lex and Hannah.

So Xander watched through the mirrors after the board meeting. He watched as Cross materialised back on Earth, and he watched as he spoke with Ted, who was _apparently_ his nephew. Xander didn’t know that, and Xander knew everything. Maybe it wasn’t for every dimension. He watched as Wilbur pulled another girl out of The Black and Whit’s depths, who had red hair that went down to her lower back. She was in some sort of wedding gown that Xander didn’t understand the reason behind it. Wilbur said something, and Ted seemed tempted, and he reached his hand out.

And then there he was. General Jonathan Myles McNamara of the United States Military, special unit PEIP, the third general since the branch started up back in 1979. Thick golden hair draping slightly past his shoulders, his bright blue eyes stern and cold. His beret was fixed firmly over the top of his head, and his uniform seemed slightly smaller than what Xander remembered, though he could have been working out and it would explain the tightness of the shirt.

He told Ted to go with him. Thank god he complied, for Xander couldn’t help PEIP too much if one of the many souls that were missing or trapped remained stuck in a realm between dimensions. It’d be horrible, it still was horrible even being there for seconds at a time, but Xander was trapped there in a blue suit that coated him. He hated it. He wanted to be back in his lab, and he wanted to be in his lab coat, in his uniform. He loved that uniform, and he was trapped against it. He missed it. He missed it badly.

He felt a tentacle like arm creep over his shoulder, and he looked over it to see Webby looking over him. She nodded and crouched down beside him. “That’s your Jonathan, am I correct?”

“Yeah…that’s John.” He laughed slightly and ran a hand over his face. “He’s…he’s doing so well without me, but I guess…I guess he has to be when he doesn’t know I exist, doesn’t it?” He laughed sadly then, and his smile turned into a frown. I love him more than anything. He means the world to me and…and I ended my life because I felt selfish…”

“It was your destiny,” Webby said and cupped Xander’s face. “You did the most you could do. And your John? He is doing an amazing job against The Black and White. I dare to say, by March, you’ll be home, Xander. You’ll be back. You and Ethan will be back with your correct families, the one who you need. You’ll be home, and I will miss you, I’ll admit…but I guess…I suppose your needed elsewhere.”

Xander looked at her and nodded as he looked back down to John, watching as he helped Spankoffski into the JEIP. He frowned again but nodded.

_Just don’t fuck it up, John. We can’t lose another._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck tinky 2020


	4. Black and White Cell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr Spankoffski is picked up off the streets by Sir McNamara, my fave OC from my PEIPHQ series makes their official debut in sypf, emmas in this one, xander decks tinky in the face, you know, the usual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TWS: mentions of xander lee dying at the end of TLBTS and some description on tinkys behalf.
> 
> also CW: Tinky
> 
> also for lunar: tinky redemption possibly-

He ran all the way there, which was the, quite clearly, more stupid option. Why couldn’t he have gone straight to the JEIP? He didn’t know why but went past it anyway. He went past the car he drove to work in everyday and, instead of choosing to spend the next few seconds getting _in_ that car, he chose to walk. He regret that decision midway through the journey to the final destination. He did workout, which made him strong, and one would think he’d be a fast runner, however, just because he _was_ working out more often than not, it didn’t mean that he was physically active. He only ran if needed, and running around Hatchetfield for half an hour in a heavy military vest as well as the rest of his gear that he had to make sure wasn’t falling out of pockets, was not the ideal situation he found himself in. He called for one of the other agents as backup, specifically Lou Hartford, someone he knew could keep a secret if asked who also happened to be his only mentor, and she appeared with his beloved car minutes after. 

His plan was to find Spankoffski and bring him back to PEIP, for he had to to restore what was left of Hatchetfield’s extreme critics. He couldn’t let this one slip. He couldn’t let Ted get away before it was too late when John had an option to find out what was truly going on underneath his nose. His mind remained static, blurry with panic and irrational thoughts about what was happening. Since 2018, Mr Spankoffski had gone off the radar completely, and mysteriously, and it didn’t make sense how he suddenly wound up as a _homeless guy_ in one of Hatchetfield’s alleyways in broad daylight. John thought to himself that it couldn’t have been so easy as for Ted to be in Hatchetfield the entire time. It was baffling, considering John recognised the man’s face from endless missing people reports, and yet, he walked past the homeless guy every single day and he didn’t bat an eye. Then again, who would, for he was homeless, and that’s what people did whenever they walked past a homeless guy. 

While Hartford drove, John scanned the area for a glimpse of the man. He knew his last known location was Beanies, and he knew that because the files could have changed since John had last viewed them. He pointed Hartford in the direction of Beanies, and John, after realising that Ted was nowhere in sight when he approached it realised his mission was about to come much harder than he’d originally intended for it to be, until Lou pointed something out.

In the corner of her eye, she’d seen a full denim-wearing man out of the corner of her eye with slicked back hair, and John knew, from experience and memory, about who was who and what was what. Wilbur Cross was there, and John needed to know more. Why was Wilbur Cross hanging around Beanies? How was Wilbur Cross hanging around Beanies? Did he know that John was there, and was it a similar situation as the one where he’d been at the end of the labs about an hour ago when he’d originally came to the conclusion he needed to venture outside of PEIP to find the missing man? He tried to clear his head, and realising he’d be fairly unsuccessful with that, he turned back to the clear status of what was truly happening with the mission. He turned to his mentee, beginning to go through the mission plan with her. 

It would start with Private Hartford parking in the Beanies parking lot. The fact that she was off work that day made the entire thing ten times easier. Once they parked, the two of them would order a coffee and sit down at one of the tables in Beanies where Lou would inform Private Slate what was happening. John would be the one to keep a watchful eye out on everything if possible, to try and see if he could catch a semi-obvious glimpse of either Wilbur or Spankoffski. 

Lou sighed as she pulled into the parking lot and stopped the car, unbuckling. “This way, sir. Emma’s on shift today.” She opened the door and stepped out of it, zipping her jacket up. 

John nodded and walked into the store in silence. He told Lou to go and grab his regular order, black coffee, while he chose a seat. She obliged, and he sat down somewhere near the window, directly across from the alleyway. The only issue he now faced was whether Ted was too far down the alley that the shadows were hiding him, and he wasn’t able to be viewed by the public. After all, who’d want to see a homeless man in Hatchetfield, except his cousin who’d pick fun at the homeless just because he could. But the cop system in America was flawed as hell, and John knew this, so he chose not to dwell on the thought of his cousin for longer than a few seconds at most. 

Lou took her seat and sighed, plugging her earphones in, beginning to talk to Private Benny Slate over text. To anyone regular, they’d believe the two were a father/daughter duo. Now, in a way, they were, for John was self-aware that Lou saw him as the father figure she never really had, and he was beginning to see her in a similar way because of how his protective instincts flared up, and how he felt the need to look after her when she was having a bad day. John smiled at the 19-year-old, watching her with gentle eyes. She truly was something. 

Louisiana Hartford, she wasn’t just street smart. She had dark brown hair, similar to that of a dark oak, and the widest mind John had ever seen. She was pessimistic but ensured nobody else around her was. She always wore a smile, and always ensured any mission that she was a part of went right, and if it didn’t, she felt she were to be the one to blame. John remembered when he first met her. A small blue car had parked outside the front of the agency, and two people climbed out. The first was a very tall young man with curled brown hair and glasses similar to Xander in the standard PEIP uniform who John would learn to be Benny Slate. Lou climbed out after her. John felt a gut instinct that she had to be his mentee. He hated mentoring, but she seemed different, and his instincts were always right. Most of the time. 

After a small while of gazing in awe at the younger girl, he heard familiar footsteps approaching them, and a tray was set in front of them. “Thank fucking _God_ it’s you guys, you know? If it were anyone else, I may have lost my mind.” The barista chuckled, and John looked up. 

“I take that it has been a less than average day, Perkins?”

“You can say that.” Emma sighed and shook her head, setting John’s drink in front of him, and then Lou’s. “Just imagine having to put up with coffee jerks for three hours, with one break in the middle of it?” She groaned and threw a tea towel over her shoulder. “I fuckin’ hate my boss.”

“I really hope you don’t mean me, Emma.” John said lowly, looking up at the woman, who laughed loudly.

“Nah, you’re the best fuckin’ boss I’ve ever had. The other’s have been straight which says a lot.” It was enough to make both John and Emma shudder. “So, what brings you to Beanies, man?” 

“I’m going to look for the homeless man and bring him back to PEIP regardless of what he says. He holds vital information regarding to how the universe works and his place in it. He will be coming with me whether he says yes or no.” John took a sip of the coffee, and was prepared for it to be horrible, but surprisingly, it wasn’t. Not to him, at least. 

“So, you’re gonna fuckin…abduct the homeless guy across the street?”

John swallowed what he was drinking and nodded to her. “Yes, I am.” As he looked up at her, he caught a vivid glimpse of a tan coat and a worn-down beanie in the alleyway, with the same silhouette like figure of his past mentor. He slammed the cup down by accident, holding a hand up to apologise to Emma as he stood. “I’m extremely sorry, but I must go. Lou, give me half an hour and I’ll be back.” 

He rushed out of the store and to the curb, looking both ways before running across the road, approaching the alleyway where the scene was taking place, and sure enough, he was there.

He steadied himself and straightened his posture as he looked towards the two men. The first being his ex-mentor, Wilbur Cross, and the second being Theodore Spankoffski. John looked at the man, who’d been homeless for some time and John could tell because of it, no wonder John hadn’t spotted him before. Age hadn’t been friendly to him, for his face was wrinkled, and he was definitely exhausted. John could tell from the bags that appeared underneath his eyes. He kept himself focused as he remembered what he was there to do. If he could convince Mr Spankoffski to come with him back to the precinct, it would give him all the answers that were possibly needed in relation to the missing people cases of Hatchetfield, and then they’d all be solved. Everything would be solved.

“Theodore Spankoffski, my name is General John McNamara of the United States Military special unit PEIP and I am ordering you to come with me.”

That drew the attention back to himself. Good, good that was what was needed. He needed for Ted to comply. And he needed for Ted to come with him so he could solve a problem that had destroyed the island for so, so long at that point. It wasn’t just an urban legend like many people thought, because John was remembering Xander, and John was in front of Ted. They were now no longer legends, for they became real.

“And why should I ever have to do that? And how do you know my name? I’m just the homeless guy around Hatchetfield now!” The homeless guy- Ted, asked. 

“Because you have been assumed missing around Hatchetfield since…July 28th, 2018.”

“But…but that can’t be possible! I’ve been right here! Isn’t that right Uncle Wil-“ he looked behind him, but the man who he was trying to find was gone. Gone for good. “Uncle Wilbur?”

John frowned and crouched in front of the man. He could at least sympathise with him in that one way. “You are from…a group of 6, known to my agency as The Hatchetfield 6, funnily enough. It consists of you, Linda Monroe, Jane Perkins, Ethan Green, Wilbur Cross and…and a man named Xander Lee…. but it appears that you’ve already encountered Colonel Cross.”

“Sir,” Ted said and looked up at John. “I know where those people are currently located.”

John hadn’t expected to hear that. He looked at Ted and furrowed his eyebrows. “You’re being serious?” When Ted nodded, John held his hand out to the man, looking at him. “Then I’m definitely going to need you to come with me.”

“Where?” He asked, and John looked at him. 

“Across the street to Beanies first for some warmth and some shitty coffee I’m sure you’d be thankful for, and then I’m taking you back to my headquarters for an interview. I require all the answers I can receive from you, give or take. Are you up for this?”

There wasn’t an ounce of hesitation from the man as he took John’s hand and pushed himself to stand up. “I’ll give you all of the answers that you need, General McNamara.”

John nodded and took Ted back to Beanies, collected Lou, and drove her back to Benny’s place because that was where she lived. Not because they were dating, but because her and Benny were close enough and Lou had nowhere to go. John waved to George, Benny’s brother, before taking Ted back to the precinct. 

He escorted him in and set him up in the interview room, heading to find a specific agent on shift that day to help. Somebody who knew Ted as…a friend, he’d say, but nothing more. Someone who know if Ted was telling the truth, and if the man before him truly was the man who the files were saying was true.

* * *

He kept watch. Watching from the box that restrains him, he wanted to reach out and to hold his man, to hold him tight, to run his hand through his hair and to whisper in his ear, ‘why couldn’t you have kept your fucking mouth shut?’ They were one step closer now. He didn’t know why he ever doubted PEIP, but if they hadn’t had received the files that the fucking physicist managed to conjure up, they’d still be on square one. _He’d_ still be on square one. 

He pressed his hands up to the pane of glass and looked inside the JEIP, looking at the three people. Louisiana Hartford was one of John’s most treasured agents. She was smart and she was always smiling, especially when she was around the Slate family, Private Benny and his older brother, George, who didn’t work for PEIP. Private Benny Slate, who wasn’t in the car, but was also one of John’s best agents, lived with his older brother and Lou, taking her in after an unfortunate place with her parents, but it worked. He was fun, and loving, and had also been named, as Xander knew too well, “the gayer version of Ethan Green.” Ethan didn’t get mad at that, because he and Benny were close as well.

John McNamara was in the front beside Lou. He had nothing to comment on the man. He had absolutely nothing to comment on the general. The general who knew too much. He knew about the universes; he knew about things that shouldn’t be there. The little bitch and his husband. It was ridiculous.

And then there was Spankoffski. His favourite little Teddy-Bear. He was almost grateful to have met the man on that fateful day. Paul 23 and Emdroid’s wedding. My god, what a man. A man who was clearly hiding his attraction to McNamara as he spoke. He knew what falling in love looked like. He saw it with Jenny, he saw it with Lucy, he saw it with Charlotte, and now, he could see it with John. He smirked as he watched John looked into the wingmirror, and the currently 50-year-old man who looked away when he did. Poor Xander, he’ll be _so_ heartbroken. 

Fucking good. 

He heard the heavy footsteps of Alexander Lee, who crouched beside him, peering into the glass. He laughed, not Xander, but the other man did. 

“There’s your buddy-wud.”

“You’re right. And he’s gotten Ted, like I knew he would.” A smile formed on Xander’s face as he looked over to the realm below him, and it gave the man the opportunity he’d been waiting for. 

“And Ted’s flirting with John.”

“He wouldn’t.” 

“You wish he wouldn’t, but if you look…” He lifted up the golden box from beside him and twisted the top layer slightly to the left, sending the view back in time by minutes. He plucked one of the smaller cubes from the box and enlarged it in his arms, allowing the vision down below to zoom in. He turned his head and watched as the physicist’s eyes became wide, and not with fear. With rage. It made him laugh. “Your little Johnny-Won _ain’t_ yours no more!”

“He’s always been mine!” Xander snapped and looked to the god beside him, decked out in a full yellow suit that was able to shift to black depending on the light. His long blonde hair was braided to his midback, and his horns were curled upwards instead of down like how they usually were. He met the goat’s wild, violet eyes and he smiled wide, his bucked teeth becoming more prominent. 

“Well apparently, he ain’t anymore, Xandy! I’m pretty sure that theory only works on Earth! Maybe if you hadn’t been so selfish and chosen one of the other options, then you’d be happy!”

“I was happy before I met John, and I was _happier_ after! Until I found out he was going to cheat on me, we were happy! We were the happiest of couples! Somehow, somehow, he was able to put up with me! Somehow he fell head over heels for me without me having to interfere!”

“No, _you_ didn’t interfere, but you wanna know who did?” Tinky stood and shrunk the cube back to its normal size and adjusted his box so time went on on Earth as normal. “Wibblenephim! Yeah, they ain’t the best of dolls around, ‘cuz quite clearly, that title belongs to _me,_ but-“

“To you?! Okay, and what about Wiggly, who is confirmed to be more superior than a goat man.”

“How about you shut the fuck up, ‘my mom is actually a spider and my dad is technically wiggly which is why I’m a biased fuck’.” He smiled sarcastically, and Xander lurched forward, grabbing Tinky’s collar. 

“John would never choose Ted. I know his type.”

“A different universe where you don’t exist, are you sure?” He raised an eyebrow and looked at Xander in the eyes as his horns curled downwards, mimicking those of a ram’s. “Wiggog T’Wrath, controller of the consumers and the sea. Bliklotep, the all-seeing god who assists the others in making a final decision. Pokotho controls emotions and ensures who needs to smile smiles and who cries cries. Wibblenephim controls the relationships, which is why you and John always ended up together _when_ you were alive, why Paul and Emma end up together, why-“

“I get it!” Xander hissed, turning his back, beginning to walk away after he dropped Tinky to the floor, but Tinky remained unaffected. 

“Webby watches. She’s our older sibling. Of course, she watches. She makes sure things run smoothly.”

“She was the one to offer me the results before I pressed the trigger, I _know_ what she does.”

“And T’Noy Karaxis,” he said and sighed as he brushed himself off, his suit now a dark black. “The controller of time and results. The fixer of souls, the gatekeeper.”

Xander froze then and stopped walking away, his voice low. “Excuse me?”

“Three paths at any given moment. I don’t tend to offer for the person to choose their own fate…but…”

“But what?”

“But…” Tinky turned around, and as he did, his face morphed into someone else’s. His own, yes, but simultaneously he wasn’t. The skin of the man became slightly darker, and a yellow mask covered his eyes. His teeth lengthened and his eyes began to bulge out of his sockets as he spoke. “The 25th December 2019: John McNamara comes home to Xander, a cat in his arms, coat folded and draped over his arm. Xander’s asleep on the couch smiling, and John’s coat proceeds to act as a blanket. John kisses Xander’s cheek, waking him up. They marry, before Xander meets his maker.”

“Stop it,” Xander mumbled as he slowly turned, to see the figure shifting into the human version of the doll, the mask welding to his face, fur beginning to grow in thick, black amounts. 

“Or, perhaps, the 25th December 2019 _again,”_ Tinky spoke, his voice sounding more American that time. “John McNamara comes home to see his actual husband on the couch, pale faced and love in his eyes. George is his name, like that Slate family, small world.” The sudden goat man shrugged as the hair on his shoulders shrunk to reveal a brown shirt, a floral tie placed gently on the front of it that also happened to be wrapped around the underside of the collar. “Xander says him and Dan will be at work the next day as normal and wishes his ex a happy Christmas. Xander cries that night. He has Dan, but he’ll never have John.”

“Stop it!” Xander repeats and turns again to see the figure shifting to grow to 6’ tall, the black hair becoming brunette that shortened and became clipped neatly, fixing itself on the goat’s head. A moustache appeared on the pale skin of the figure’s face, and the eyes turned to brown. 

“The 25th December 2018 was when there was nothing but the sad face of a woman with six eyes, silvery purple hair who held out a gun to Xander who foolishly complied with the stranger. One bullet through the brain and he died. That’s how I died during The Apotheosis, Lieutenant.”

Suddenly, it wasn’t Tinky speaking, but Ted. Ted was in The Black and White. Xander turned and his jaw dropped at the sight of the man who, moments ago, was flirting with John, _his John!_

“Mac shot a bullet through my temple and I died instantly. I inhaled the spores, and I became one of them. Now I want him back, I want him to pay! I want him to pay the price for falling for a man like _you!_ Someone so weak, someone so naïve, he couldn’t face the truth, so he shot himself through the brain! ’May he find a husband who loves him more than I,’ that’s what you told yourself when that bullet shattered your skull, and that man is me!”

“It’ll never be you!” Xander roared and again, lurched forward, his fist meeting Ted’s face. There was an overwhelming blue light to fill the realm, and when Xander drew his fist back, Tinky was back on the floor. Ted was nowhere in sight. Instead, the goat man was how he looked before, in a yellow suit, his horns resembling that of a ram, kicking his legs in the air, and he was laughing. _Hard._

“You see, Xan, I forgot to mention one little detail.” He got up, blood dripping off his suit like raindrops did on an umbrella. “T’Noy Karaxis, shapeshifter, controller of the plots. I don’t often reveal someone’s fate to them, but in certain situations, I give someone a chance if I feel they are worthy. Unfortunately, I made a mistake with giving you your options, Lieutenant. You’re trapped, just like everyone else. Your fate is in _my_ hands, is in _my_ box! I know the past, I know the present, I know the future. I know everything. So, do you want to try me again when you question my older brother is the most powerful?” Silence occurred from the physicist, who’d now turned and started to walk away. “I thought so. Oh, and Xander? Your powerless compared to me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact, when i was writing the segment for the black and white it was gonna be from xander's POV, but then i went wait, tinky. so is tinky a good guy? is he a bad guy? is he a bad bith like blinky? and what secrets is ted gonna spill?
> 
> it's a good thing i've got the answers isn't it :) while im on this segment of my concluding notes, i will tell you that tinky was reciting the outcomes i offered to xander at the end of TLBTS before he died so,,, tinky knows tings 
> 
> i hope you enjoyed gangalang!


	5. Time Bastard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr John McNamara gets some answers, Miss Louisiana Hartford is here !! and paul's in this one btw

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tWS: mention of getting shot (it's xander sewer slide attempt) 
> 
> CW: rat man ted spankoffski, also tinky

It was only reasonable for the man to feel panicked as he drove. Finally, he’d be receiving answers about the universe, about everything he’d ever needed in consideration with the case he was on. He’d never asked to be working with the Hatchetfield Police Department, but there was a first for everything. However, if this went well, it’d mean he had to call in the chief of the department, who happened to be his asshole of a cousin. A disgusting man lead the team, and maybe if there was someone more inclusive to lead the way, then the police department would be appreciated like Sam Lowery so desperately wanted. Under his rule, however, Sam wouldn’t experience the same satisfaction, and thank goodness he’d never get that thrill. He didn’t deserve it.

Working for PEIP, unlike the HFPD, was always a new adventure, always a new story to tell just with the turn of a page. There was never a boring day. The group was often split into three: the higher ranks, those who’d been there for the longest, and the younger agents. John fit into the first two categories until Lou came along. Through her, he was accepted into all three. There was no social rank at HQ. There was the obvious difference with ranking, but from the privates to the general, there were no inequalities, and John ensured nobody got beat down for their rank. He knew his team worked the hardest that they ever could, so there wasn’t any need to be shunned because of it. As general, John’s main priority was to ensure that the safety of his agents remained to the highest standard, and he was glad to find he found himself approachable by agents old and new. It’s why he was glad Lou accepted his offer for him to become her mentor.

It happened when her and Slate joined the precinct in 2016. They were fresh out of high school, and they were knocked down. Slate was 6’ tall with a denim jacket draped over his shoulders, with a white work shirt on, and dark jeans on. His smile was brighter than the walls of the precinct, and John could tell he’d be an amazing agent to work with, let alone be around. Lou…she was different. He remembered sitting down in the room he’d been taken to to meet the two new recruits, and he’d recognised the ghost of neglect and unwantedness on her face. He’d been there, he’d been in her footsteps, and he knew he had to take her under his wing.

He hadn’t mentored anyone before. After the death of Wilbur Cross, and after the board meeting where nobody was willing to take up the position of the leader of PEIP where he hesitantly opted to be the general, he swore he’d never mentor anyone. He had no idea how Wilbur had been such a good mentor, and he had no idea how much training it took to get to that level, but John knew he didn’t want to follow in his footsteps. He’d experienced the hurt of losing a father figure, and he knew it was common for mentees to admire their mentors in a way different to anyone else. He wasn’t a family man, so he couldn’t let anyone get attached to him in that way. He was reckless, and stupid, and ran face first into fire with no regard for his own safety. It’s why it confused him when he started feeling compelled to train the girl.

He asked her about it, and she admitted she’d be more than willing to do so. Training started, and John watched as she trained, assisting her when needed. They had good days, and they had bad days. On the good days, she’d prance around the training fields with a firm stone thought of determination on her mind, and she wouldn’t settle for anything less than the end result. On the bad days, she’d be tearful if she messed up, and would get angry at herself. On those days, John would take her wrist and sit her down at the tables, and they’d talk. Slowly, she opened up to him, and he knew his original thoughts about her had been correct. His gut instincts were always right.

It bought them both closer than anyone in the precinct. Anyone excluding Lou herself and Benny Slate. Those two were inseparable. Originally, John had believed them to be siblings, and when she said they weren’t, he’d assumed them together. Then she said she was bisexual, and that Benny was gay and pining for…for someone. He was also the gay version of…someone. John couldn’t remember the name, but it was like an itch he couldn’t scratch. He knew the name, but he couldn’t remember. It was frustrating.

She was sat beside him with Spankoffski in the backseat. Last minute, just as they were pulling up to PEIP, he asked her to remain on shift and, with Private Slate, to finish up the files. She asked him if it was okay, she worked out of uniform, and John nodded. He honestly didn’t care. He probably didn’t, but it was a one-off occasion. Together, they climbed out of the car, and now it was John’s duty to lead him to the room where every piece of information he said would be typed and recorded. PEIP were finally getting answers.

* * *

Louisiana Hartford now had a mission to go on. McNamara had asked her to go and find Matthews, so it was what she was going to do. She did sometimes think her mentor was insane, in a good way obviously, but he did need to tone it down sometimes. Anyone could ask her, and she wouldn’t admit it, but she did look up to John like a father figure. She had a father figure herself, but he wasn’t the best. An argument had led to her packing her bags at the age of 14 and leaving the house, permanently. She had contact with the man, but it wasn’t like she’d ever see him again. John was different. John was golden. He smiled, and the room lit up. When he had his arms wrapped around her when she was in the middle of a breakdown, it was warm. Not warm like Benny warm or like George warm. He was golden, and she found herself seeing him as a father figure.

At first, she’d been in denial, but as they started going on more missions together, she found it not to be such a bad thing. That was until she almost died on a mission, and drugged up on meds, had called him dad. Benny found out and teased her endlessly for weeks. He only stopped because she kicked him in the face. Neither of them knew how it happened. She briefly recalled standing on the couch, but it happened so quickly, and they’d both been panicked, they hadn’t lingered on the matter since. It didn’t deserve her time. She’d been blinded, in that moment, with the fear of getting kicked out and losing the only people who were family. Instead of screaming at her, Benny apologised, and the two became fine again. They’d always been fine.

It made sense they went to PEIP together. They got in by the skin of their teeth and had cried with each other out of fear and excitement when they got the news. George, Benny’s older brother, took them out for dinner at Pizza Pete’s that night, but had to stop at Tony Green’s Body Shop to get a new piece for his car or something. Someone had been working that same night, and they were working on the underside of the car, but it was enough to get Benny flustered when the teen looked in their direction. Lou wished she could remember why the name “Ethan Green” was significant to her, but she couldn’t. It was like a piece of information that was often seen in movies or TV shows; one that didn’t apply to her yet but would be useful in the future. She sighed again and strolled down the corridors of PEIP, before pushing the door open and stepping into the radio room. She hadn’t been able to find Matthews yet, so she needed to tell McNamara she needed a little extra time. She couldn’t disappoint him. If she did, she’d never forgive herself. She couldn’t.

She was met with the pleasant surprise of Benjamin Robert Slate sitting in one of the two large black chairs that resembled chairs professional online gamers sat in. She smiled and sat in the seat beside her friend, looking through the glass into the room, where McNamara, Matthews and the other guy, Spankoffski, sat. The red light on the monitor told them they were recording, and Lou switched her microphone off so her voice wasn’t picked up in the other room.

“Ain’t it y’day off, Lou?” Benny asked, and Lou shrugged, adjusting her jacket around her shoulders again.

“McNamara went on a half hour run round HF to try and find someone relevant to the missing people’s case, who’s in that room I think? Anyway, he rang me up and asked if I could grab his JEIP for him.”

“And he’s makin’ ya work extra time?” Momentarily, Lou saw anger in Benny’s eyes as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know he’s y’mentor and all, but Lou needs a break too! And I know you don’t want him gettin’ mad at ya, but ya gotta take a break! It ain’t far on ya!”

“Ben,” Lou laughed and placed a hand on his forearm, squeezing it gently. “I’ll be here for 20 minutes tops to help on the case, and then I’m going back to George. And before you ask, he’s fine.” She smiled and pulled out her notebook, beginning to jot things down. “Are you okay?”

“I’m doing just fine. But I did have some person in my dream last night I’ve never met before and he was some really tall kid with curly black hair and bright green eyes and a really sharp jawline, and he looked my age. Louisa, I’m tellin’ ya, if I knew who he was, he’d be in my bed.”

Hartford laughed sharply and squeezed Benny’s forearm again, looking at him. “You are such a fucking simp, you know that?”

“I’m aware. But for men and men only.”

“I’d say it’s debatable you’re more of a raging homosexual than McNamara is, but-“

“If anything, Lou, that’s a compliment.”

“I wouldn’t say so,” she said as she turned back to the room in front of her. “Now shut the fuck up, Slatey, I need to write this down. For Mac’s sake.”

* * *

John took a seat at the desk just as Paul Matthews walked in the room. He turned his head over his shoulder, moving his laptop over, and flashed him a smile. “Private Matthews, I’m sure you wonder as to why I called you in here today.”

“Yeah…I’m not getting fired, am I?” Paul asked, and rubbed his neck, his eyes wide with anxiety he didn’t try to hide.

John wove a hand of dismissiveness towards him and motioned him forward. “You’re here in consideration with the missing people’s case where PEIP and the HFPD combined. I believe you know this man?”

Paul sat down beside John and looked at the homeless guy in front of them, and laughed nervously, believing this to be some sort of prank. “I only know him as the guy who tried to trip Emma up when she went to work last week, and also the guy who lives in the alley between Beanies and…and that other place?” He was unsure of himself. Was this some kind of joke? Or was there some sort of hidden message behind it?

John chuckled and clasped his hands on the desk, shaking his head. “Unfortunately, you know him much better than that. I shan’t reveal too much, for I need this information to commence, but you are required to be here.” He looked to Ted and nodded, encouraging him to speak.

Ted, now nervous to see his ex-buddy, Paul, fumbled with his coat sleeve as he started to spoke. “Where would you like me to start?”

“Preferably with the facts about your connection to The Black and White,” John said, and Ted nodded.

“I was just a regular guy before it happened, ya know? I used to flirt with every person humanely possible, but it’s hard to get laid when your known as ‘The Homeless Guy’ around town, but they don’t know you know everything. They don’t know you’ve seen everything.” He looked to John and spoke. “The universe I came from, I found out my office was a time machine. I went back too far in time in an attempt to save the only woman I ever loved and ended up killing her. Not intentionally! I’d never intentionally hurt her, but I did, and I got stuck in 2004. October 17th, 2004. That was 15 years ago. I’m 50 now, and it sucks.”

“What happened on October 17th?” John questioned, looking at him.

“So I was at this wedding, and then I saw _her._ I saw Jenny, and she looked, well…as pretty as the day I first met her. And it was my wedding? I never wanted to settle down unless it was with Jenny and then…it went dark. I look over, everything’s rotten, everything’s dead except for me and one other thing. It was a…man. I think it was, at least. It had the body of a man, but where the hands were supposed to be, there were hooves. It was covered in a bodysuit, yellow and matted, and it wore a mask with huge, bucked teeth and bulging eyes. It spoke to me and told me about a box that Jenny gifted me just seconds earlier but…Jen wasn’t there. And then it came closer, and it resembled more of a man. He wore a suit that shifted from yellow to black depending on the light, and his had horns like a ram. His hair was woven into a long blonde braid that stopped at his midback. The box opened, and there was a word that projected from it in a bright white when he came close. It said…T’Noy Karaxis…and it merged to Tinky. His name was Tinky.”

“Tinky…does Tinky have any relation to-“

“Wiggly?” Ted cut John off and nodded. “He does. There’s five of ‘em and Webby in there. In The Black and White, there’s Wiggog T’Wrath, Pokotho, Bliklotep, Wibblenephim and T’Noy Karaxis, Webby…they control every dimension that exists.”

“Alternate dimensions?” John questioned, and Ted nodded.

“I saw them all. He opened the box, and I watched the consequences of what happened in those universes. They go by weird names but uh…Dimension 1, The Apotheosis. A virus took over Hatchetfield and turned everyone into musical singing zombies after a meteor crashed into The Starlight Theatre.” He looked at John. “You killed me, and Paul had to stop it. He didn’t stop it, and everyone died. Dimension 2, Black Friday. Wiggog T’Wrath was shaped into a doll known as the ‘Tickle Me Wiggly’ who manipulated adults, promising them the truth. It ended with the mall burning down. Everyone died. Dimension 3 was about Lucy Stockworth…I don’t wanna talk about that one. Dimension 4 was when Bliklotep, or “Blinky” came into play at Watcher World, but that one had a relatively positive ending. Dimension 5 was Paul and Emma’s wedding, or, I should say, the 23rd cloned version of Paul, and an android version of Emma’s wedding where Paul 23 and Emdroid _killed_ the real Emma Perkins after she came back from Guatamala.”

Paul looked up, concern washing over him. “My wife’s an android?” He asked, his voice lilting as he looked to John, who was looking at files on his computer.

John shook his head and looked to Paul to reassure him. “Not in this universe. You’re Paul Matthews, and she’s Emma Matthews, remember?”

“Right…” He sighed and looked back to Ted. “So…what else happened?”

“Well…I met Tinky in the same dimension. And I got stuck in his box…that’s where my soul is.”

“Sir, if I’m not mistaken, there are two files left empty here. Do you know what these correlate to? BYXF 1.3 and BYXF 1.4?”

Ted nodded and laughed, looking at John. “1.3 was about Tom Houston, and 1.4 was about Hannah Foster and Miss Holloway.”

John looked up again and nodded, no information loading into the files as he’d expected. “But you say…you know where the other missing people of Hatchetfield are?”

Ted nodded again, leaning over and tapping John’s screen. The general’s face became puzzled, as he looked at Ted again, who leaned back into his chair. “They’re in The Black and White. The six of them.”

“What do you mean?” John asked, his throat becoming dry, as Paul looked between the two.

_Wiggog T’Wrath, controller of the consumers and the sea._

“Jane Perkins, she dies in every dimension. Her soul is trapped in the box, as well as everyone else’s. She weaves in between the waves of the fabric, or her soul does. BYXF 1.3, Jane Perkins latches herself to the interior of Tom Houston’s car and possesses it, almost killing Ethan Green in the process. She hit Becky Barnes, used her body as a host, and possessed her, jailing Tom Houston for life.”

_Bliklotep, the all-seeing god who assists the others in making a final decision_

“Ethan Green, he wasn’t supposed to be there. Not anymore. He died on Black Friday in dimension 2, swearing to get his girlfriend, Lex, to California. He got kicked in the head multiple times and suffered immense damage. Wilbur Cross, John, I’m sure you know what happened to him.”

“I do, I do.” John sighed mournfully and waved his hand at Ted to get him to keep speaking.

_Pokotho controls emotions and ensures who needs to smile smiles and who cries cries._

“Linda Monroe is one of the people who is going to survive there permanently, to never appear in a dimension again. She had a bullet through her forehead in a rendition of Black Friday. She left behind a dead affair with Gary Goldstein, attorney at law, four kids, two of which from that affair with Gary Goldstein, and a husband, Gerald Monroe. She wanted to be adored.” Ted laughed. “She’s being basked in her own glory for eternity now, with Wilbur by her side.”

_Wibblenephim controls the relationships._   
  


“And then…Alexander Lee.”

Until that moment, John hadn’t realised there was a pulsing pain in his head. Neither did Paul. Ted could hear Tinky’s whispers being fed to him through his ear. He remained looking at the two agents in front of him. He kept a steady face.

“Alexander Lee, known better as Lieutenant Xander Lee, theoretical physicist to many, married John McNamara in every dimension possible. During The Apotheosis, he was waiting in the med bay when John was injured and slashed up because the infected sought revenge, on Black Friday, Xander waited when John jumped into the portal like a mindless fool and was by his side while he recovered. You married, you cried, you fought…and it was a bullet through the brain that ended it all. Xander has powers, a direct connection to The Black and White through Webby, his creator. He shoots light and is a god in himself.” He looked to John, who’s eyes were now unfamiliarly glossy. “He misses you. He watches over you. He wants to get back. He loves you.”

 _And T’Noy Karaxis, the fixer of souls, the gatekeeper._

John was about to speak on the matter, his head beginning to spin. Xander was in The Black and White. He wasn’t going insane when he saw his old friend from high school in the corner of his eye, or at the end of corridors. He was there. That didn’t shock him, for Wilbur was there too. But it was the fact him and Xander had been _married_ and John couldn’t remember a single part of it. Now he was distressed. He felt the strongest urge to run to the portal room, to grab the levers and to fuck around with it until Xander was out. Until the souls of the innocent were out, the lot of them, aside from the bad and the ugly. They just needed the good.

John needed Xander.

The headache worsened, and Ted’s voice became muffled. He gripped his hair, and shut his eyes, gritting his teeth and letting out a scream. He heard Ted speak again, but it was too late. There was a bright yellow light that consumed the homeless guy, and he was knocked off his chair and on to the floor. As quick as the flash had appeared, it vanished, as did the headaches. They were spontaneous, but it wasn’t the first one John had had, but it was the first of something of that severity. With tears brimming his eyes, he opened his eyes, and saw the figure on the floor.

A 35-year-old man in a brown work shirt with a floral tie wrapped underneath the collar. He wore slacks and had a moustache; his brunette hair gelled a combed accordingly. John sat there in shock, but thankfully, Paul was the one to confirm his thoughts.

_“Ted Spankoffski?!”_

John sighed and swallowed his throat, the back of it much dryer than originally anticipated. Well, at least one of them was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yo yo what the fuck is happening
> 
> it's a good thing i know isnt it xoxo
> 
> come scream @ me on instagram about it bcs id love to scream back at u


	6. Keep Me At Your Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> my mans mr john mcnamara is fucking done after a hectic day, someone makes a return aYYyY, !Nightmare time spoilers from here on out:! ted meets someone and also ethan cries :((

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i rlly said 4000 word chapter on top of 3000 word oneshot for the day tonight,,, the power the 35mm soundtrack has
> 
> i don't believe there are any tws, but i will say...these next chapters are gonna be fucking wild

It was the most bizarre of experiences after. A man, whose soul had been trapped in ‘Tinky’s Toy-Box,’ as he kept mentioning, was now lay on the floor, with Paul in the officiated PEIP uniform, gawking directly at him. John rubbed his forehead, and looked to Lou and Benny, who were both equally in shock. John managed to catch his mentee’s attention and beckoned the two of them inside the interview room where they both were. He wrote down the number of an old friend, a distant relative, and folded it up. He closed the lid of the laptop and stood, tucking the device under his arm. When Lou walked in the room, John pressed the slip of paper into her hand. She unravelled it, read the instructions, and saluted to her general before leaving the room. John clicked his fingers at Benny, indicating for him to stay there. The private nodded as John gestured to Ted on the floor, Paul now at his side. He ordered for a medical room to be set up to examine Mr Spankoffski to ensure he wasn’t furtherly injured and to contact any close relatives or close friends. Benny nodded and scurried off himself. John sighed deeply, looking to the men on the floor. Today kept getting weirder and weirder. At least, tomorrow, he’d have a professional on the case alongside him.

* * *

The man in question was bold, and he was braver than he made himself out to be. Working as a barista at Beanies alongside Emma wasn’t the life he’d wanted to live, but Emma made his life _not_ a living hell. Lou Hartford-Carmichael had _also_ been his pride and joy whenever he stepped foot in the environment-based store, but she left to do something bigger, something with better pay. In all honesty, he envied her.

He couldn’t talk, though. He had a roof over his house, and being the only man working at Beanies, he tended to get tipped more. Maybe it was the hair, or maybe it was the charm in his smile, but he certainly got tipped more than what he got payed per week. It wasn’t something he’d ever wanted to be, a barista, and he couldn’t say it payed well either. In high school, he’d dreamed of being a director of sorts for TV shows or for movies, and yet he wound up in one of the worst jobs on the shitty island. It made sense. He was a part of the shittiest, and largest, family on the island, after all.

He learned, after almost losing the true love of his life, to never let time wait for you. He rushed. He didn’t drive, because he didn’t believe in that when he could just walk. He wasn’t seen without a heavy coat, even in the summer months, and sometimes, he’d wear a scarf with his outfit. He basked in blues and blacks, aside from his coat that his beloved had gotten him one day. In all fairness, one of them was a navy colour, and it was truly stunning, but he only wore it for work events.

One of those work events had been to go and see his cousin when he completed his training for the HFPD, and they’d thrown a massive party. Sam had been a dick during the entirety of it, and had his arm hooked around his wife’s waist for the entirety of it. The same man had also shot disgusting looks towards another man the entire time. This man in question? He didn’t know why, and he didn’t want to find out either. He could tell it wasn’t just him feeling affected by the man’s actions, for everyone in the room felt dismal of sorts towards the event as a whole.

There was an engagement party, there was a wedding and two baby showers he attended on his brother’s behalf. His brother was the oldest member of the large family on the island, and it was a fair surprise he wasn’t actually dead yet. His long dark blonde hair had begun to grey when he turned 50, and he was now 60. He was one of the only people in the family who had done something memorable. His older brother had founded an entire military base after getting fired from the _real_ military sometime in the late 1960s.

The two didn’t get along. How could you when there was a 20-year age gap? And also, the younger of the pair was a flaring homosexual man. It was difficult to be accepted in a typically republican family. At least he had John. John McNamara was an extremely distant relative in regard to him, something like a sixth cousin? They both agreed it didn’t necessarily count, so they saw each other as close friends. John was the person to go to for advice, and it’d been John who’d helped him get a boyfriend.

His boyfriend, unfortunately, was notorious for being…not loyal, He’d experienced it first-hand one night after a bad fight with his parents, where he wanted to clamber into bed, possibly break any expensive furniture he had just to spite them and replace it with third hand pieces, which he actually preferred. But no. He walked into his boyfriend having sex with a _woman._ Heartbreak wasn’t the right word. It had been as if someone had physically torn the organ from his heart and played a game of tennis with it.

So, logically, they went on an 11-year break. They met back up on the 23rd November 2018, and sparks flew again. Now he’d moved in with his boyfriend, and now, life was beginning to get better. He still wasn’t in touch with the majority of his family, just John, but John was a busy man. Then again…every man in the family was. So there the man in question was, sitting on the couch, while his boyfriend prepared lunch for the both of them. That night, they had a promotion party on the boyfriend’s behalf, which meant exchanging the tan trenchcoat for the navy one and making a decent attempt to look nice. He said decent, because he was the human embodiment of fire.

Then his phone rang.

“You want me to get it for you?” His boyfriend asked, his nasally voice taking over the entire house. If it was any other person, the man in question would have strangled the person the voice belonged to until their voice was back to normal, but with _him?_ With him…it was actually nice.

“I’ve got it, don’t worry.” He sighed and reached for his phone, not recognising the number, but he did recognise what the location was. He picked up. “Is this John McNamara?”

“ _No, but this is Private Louisiana Hartford ringing on John McNamara’s behalf. I’m his mentee. Is this-”_

He sighed and a small smile tugged at his face. “Holy shit? Lou? This is Micah Icacks, how may I prove your assistance?”

A sigh came from the other end of the line, but not a bad one. “ _I’m ringing on behalf of General McNamara regarding the Hatchetfield Six?”_

Micah blinked before running a hand through his hair, sighing. “Fuck…god, you’re gonna have to tell him the earliest I can be there is tomorrow morning at most. Me and Gary have a work event tonight and-“

_“It’s not a problem, sir. John wanted me to ring you instead of Ex-General Icacks.”_

“Yeah, my brother’s an old fucking dick.” Micah smirked slightly at that, before listening into the Private’s message. “Tell John I’m on the case. Does he require Lowery there or-“

“ _Unfortunately. It’s my next job.”_

Micah sighed again before speaking. “I wish you luck, Private. I’ll be in at 11. And I’ve missed you.”

“ _I’ve missed you too, Micah._ ”

He hung up the phone just as Gary walked out from the kitchen, holding a plate of sandwiches for the pair to enjoy. The lawyer furrowed his eyebrows as he sat beside Micah on the couch, looking at him.

“Private? 11? What are you planning?” He asked, setting the plate on the coffee table in front of them.

Micah smiled and turned to face Gary, gently holding one of his arms. “I just scored a shift to help with The Hatchetfield Six case tomorrow by request of John. And guess who didn’t get the job, Gare?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Gareth _fucking_ Icacks!” He laughed gleefully and took a sandwich taking a bite out of it. “So, I’m gonna see Lou all day tomorrow.”

Gary laughed softly and took a sandwich himself. “You’ve missed her since she hasn’t been working at Beanies.”

“But she works for John…just at my brother’s company that he didn’t get me a job at, so I will forever hate him.”

“You hated him before, dear,” Gary said and wrapped his arm around Micah’s shoulders, earning a scornful look from the other man.

“I seriously hate you sometimes, you know?”

“And I love you more than you can ever imagine. Now eat your lunch. We’ve gotta leave in a couple of hours.”

* * *

Paul had been the one to take him to the medical bay. He’d hoisted Ted up and…dragging him was still too kind. The man was filled with rage. Having vanished off of the face of the earth like that leaving Charlotte in tears. It was obvious about the two’s affair they’d been having, so when Ted became officially missing, and then became a part of The Hatchetfield Six, the office became much quieter, and much lonelier.

Charlotte didn’t show up to work for a week, and when she did, she had a black eye and a few more bruises covered by her jumper. She denied any accusations about Sam being an asshole to her all weekend, and everyone expected Ted to pop up and start talking about how the US is a sham, and all about his “ACAB” views. He never appeared, and the office was quiet.

Too quiet.

It affected everyone in different ways. Many would say that him leaving had positive effects, but nobody knew Ted like the third floor at CCRP did. Charlotte closed in on herself and came back every single day with a chai iced tea. She said it was for herself, but it was relatively obvious she hadn’t let the thought settle in that Ted was actually missing and might be dead. Bill became quieter as well. There wasn’t anyone to pick fights with. There wasn’t anybody to scream at him for being a shitty father to his daughter, and there wasn’t anyone to scream about being a shitty person who used women all of the time anymore. Bill had become used to the bullying he received at work, and now it was gone, he almost didn’t know what to do with himself.

Then there was Paul. Paul who suffered with not only Ted discussing his wife and about how sexy she was _every single day_ , when he called her “The Latte Hottay” voice in that stupid Borat accent, but also how he flirted with Paul himself. Paul was oblivious to the fact Ted had been flirting with him until Emma pointed it out one day. And then Paul felt very uncomfortable. Sure, he liked being with Ted as a friend, but never as anything more. Paul had always struggled with his sexuality, and maybe there was a time he gained a crush on one of his male friends in high school, but never after. He was married, after all.

But Ted had been gone for so long, and the office adjusted to new drama, to new everything. They adapted to Melissa bringing in Colonel Schaffer a lot more, and when Schaffer wasn’t there, Melissa liked to update the gang on PEIP scandals. At least Paul didn’t have to be the one to speak up on it. There was also the scandal where Sam had walked into the office to pick up Charlotte and walked in on Carol and Ken Davidson. It’s funnier considering that Ken is Sam’s uncle, and Ken is about 55 years old. There was also Bill getting together with Sylvia from floor 5. Melissa didn’t like the new secretary, but Paul theorised she was just jealous.

Somehow, they figured out Paul and Emma worked for PEIP. Melissa had been jealous at that as well, and Paul had gotten all blushy and shrugged, saying it was better than reviewing musicals all day long. Bill scoffed, but Charlotte congratulated him. The entire office went out to celebrate Paul and Emma that night, and Ted wasn’t in sight. It was a perfect, bittersweet, memory.

Now he was back, and Paul couldn’t believe it. He was upset, he had to admit it, because he’d vanished as if it were nothing. It hadn’t been fair on Charlotte, and also on another girl who’d walked in named Lucy Stockworth? He didn’t know who she was, but she had a British accent, which definitely scared Paul just because of the fact there were now tourists coming to the island.

He sat down beside Ted’s bed and watched as tests were ran on him. They lasted a couple of hours, because bringing a soul back from The Black and White could always go wrong, and for Ted to appear out of nowhere, and force himself into his 50 year old body with a 35 year old self, it was scary. This entire thing was scary, but it was what Paul signed up for when he wrote his name on the form confirming he was now an official agent at the precinct. Did he regret it? Of course he didn’t, but he hadn’t been expecting to see, well… _Ted_ today.

When Ted stirred awake, Paul kept a professional image on his face and straightened his posture, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He’d just let Emma know what was going on at the precinct and what exactly to know when he came home. If this went badly, the worst-case scenario was Paul would need a bubble bath and a hug after what he expected to be a very _very_ bad panic attack. He was starting to become angry again. He’d left everything behind because of a girl and had hurt Charlotte in the process.

What a dick.

“Paul?” Ted asked, looking at his friend, before eyeing him up and down. He whistled and smirked. “Man, oh _man!_ I always knew you’d look good in black-“

“Ted, I’m a married man. A _happy_ married man who has devoted his life to his wife! Stop flirting with me, dammit! And you wonder why everyone hates you.” Maybe Ted hadn’t expected Paul to shut him down so quickly, but when Paul looked at him, there was a sorrowful look in his ex-co-worker’s eyes. “You hurt Charlotte, and a girl named Lucy Stockworth who’s _British!”_ Paul was the one to scoff then when he looked at Ted. “Sam’s been abusing Charlotte.”

“Yeah, well, we all knew that-“

“It’s worse. She’s back to cat sweaters and floral skirts. There’s no more confidence. He knocked it from her, the bastard. And it’s your fault.” Ted was silent again, and Paul rolled his eyes. “Right, a summary of everything you missed. Sam walked in on Mr Davidson being choked by his wife while he jerked himself off. Sam is Mr Davidson’s nephew. Bill and Sylvia, the new secretary from floor 5 got together and Bill gained full custody of Alice after another dispute with her mother. And me and Emma work part time here at PEIP. And everyone hates your guts.”

“Nothing’s changed…”

“Except for Charlotte, who mourned you for a week and came back into work with a black eye.”

“Cops shouldn’t have rights, Paul. Up the pay rise of literally _anybody_ else, okay? Sam’s a fucking asshole, he liked to drag me around Hatchetfield when I was homeless-“

“You’re still homeless,” Paul reminded, until a sweet voice spoke from the door.

“No, he isn’t.”

Ted looked up to the door, and there was another lady with fiery red hair woven into perfect waves wearing a light blue shirt with jeans on. She had a leather jacket over the top of her outfit, and Ted’s breath was stolen from his chest. Behind her, a man with golden hair wearing something out of Ted’s price range stepped in behind the red-haired woman, who pushed him away, looking to Ted, and the sleazeball was sure his pupils turned into hearts.

“Jenny?” The woman, now named Jenny, smiled wide and stepped into- well, _ran_ into the room, taking her place beside Ted, helping him to sit up. “But Jenny- Jenny you _died!”_

“As I’m aware,” the other man, Andy Kilgore, Jenny’s husband, said, stepping into the room. “Jen, come on baby, let me take you home.”

“Oh, you wanna know what, _Andrew?”_ Jenny said, looking at him. “You’re a rich, sophisticated asshole who struts your stuff with your _Gucci_ and whatever else you wear because you can and also because your family are one of the richest in America, don’t pretend I don’t know. I know you hated Ted in high school because you went to Hatchetfield High and moved to Clivesdale when you could, but guess what? Clivesdale is fucking shit, as are you in bed!” She ripped two rings from her hand and threw them at him. “I signed the divorce papers years ago! It was just unfortunate _I_ ended up where I was! Now fuck off, Andy! You ain’t wanted here!”

Stunned, Kilgore picked up the rings, his bottom lip quivering as he rushed from the room. Instead, Ted looked at Jenny, and his heart pounded. “Jen…”

Jenny turned back to Ted and looked at him. “I waited 18 years for ya, Teddy Bear. And in those 18 years, I don’t think I was pleasured _once.”_ She cupped his face and watched as his eyes lit up. “I wanna be yours.”

“Then be mine, sweetheart.” He pat his lap, and she eagerly climbed into it, pushing Ted’s chest back so he was lying down.

Paul made the wise decision of leaving the room before he saw something he didn’t want to. He shut the door and closed the blinds so nobody else was scarred and headed back to the breakroom. How was he going to tell Charlotte about this?

* * *

From the depths of The Black and White came a laugh from a man who wore a mask. He whistled sharply and splashed through the blood, his hair shining under the light that wasn’t there. He sat at the table, and tapped twice, everyone in the realm who was necessarily needed appeared. That included the six gods, Linda, Ethan and Xander. He kicked his feet up and took a bite of the apple he’d been holding, looking to the others. “So,” he started, mouthful, “they know about Spankoffski. And Jenny’s gone. _Nice going,_ Karaxis.” Cross scoffed, and Tinky looked at Wilbur, definitely offended.

“I control the souls within the box!”

“You control the box, dumbass!” Wiggly hissed at his younger brother, and in retaliation, Tinky barked back.,

Cross pinched the bridge of his nose before slamming a closed fist down on the table. “Theodore Spankoffski told PEIP _everything_! You didn’t do a very good job of controlling him before he told John that, did you?”

“I didn’t know he was going to say that!” Tinky argued back, and the other gods sighed.

“Well…Jenny and Ted are back together?” Nibbly suggested, and Wiggly looked at his younger sibling.

“Only because fuckass with a goat mask here leaked Jenny’s soul out from his BTEC rubix cube!”

“It isn’t a BTEC rubix cube!” Tinky argued back, and soon, there was a full-blown argument happening between the two eldritch gods. Wilbur was getting sick and tired of his children arguing.

“The Hatchetfield Six!” He said, catching everyone’s attention. “Four of which _have_ a soul and a body remaining on earth! It means you can go back to the realm you came from! And they’d be Jane Perkins, Theodore Spankoffski, Ethan Green and Xander Lee! Ted’s already gone! And you wanna know who’s next?!” There was a slight growl to the man’s voice as he looked at the two men at the table. “One out of the three people who are supposed to be trapped in here is missing…so I wonder who’s gonna come next.”

Immediately, Xander met eye contact with Ethan, and Ethan must have had the same idea, for he caught Xander’s. The two stood, probably too quickly, their chairs clashing to the floor as they ran off.

“I didn’t fuckin’ excuse you!” Wilbur shouted, but Ethan shouted a quick reply back to him.

“Shut the fuck up, Apple Man!”

Xander hadn’t really paid attention to what was happening for the majority of the meeting, but he knew, if Jane was getting revived, it’d lead to several more people coming into the picture. Tom Houston, Tim Houston, Becky Barnes, Lex Foster, Hannah Foster, Tony Green, Douglas Keane and…Miss Holloway.

His breath hitched as he fell to the floor and opened up a space to look down, Ethan landing beside him. “Xan, I gotta see her, I gotta see my Lex please-“

“I know, I know, and I’m trying,” Xander said, using as much strength as he could to open up a window to the other world. He didn’t know how Webby made it look so easy.

“And my dad! Please, please I miss ‘em so badly, I don’t give a fuck if they ain’t knowin’ who I am I just- please.” He looked to Xander, and the knowledge that this next step would involve Ethan and the people closest to him….as soon as Jane was out...then it’d be Ethan.

He needed to think about this.

Ted was linked to Tinky, and as soon as Xander’s first met Tinky’s face, a yellow beam of light had consumed Ted meaning that…Jane, Ethan and himself were linked to gods here in the black and white. At a guess, Ethan was related to Wiggly through his connection, and Jane was related to Nibbly. But who was he related to? Who did he need to destroy in order to get himself back to John? It couldn’t be Blinky, because Blinky had Bill, and it also couldn’t be Pokey because Pokey had Paul. That left one eldritch god who had yet to be named, someone closer to Xander than he ever thought.

Webby.

He needed to hurt Webby to get out of there. The pros and cons were already beginning to fill his thoughts about what were the benefits and what weren’t. Webby wasn’t just connected to himself, but also to Hannah. If he hurt Webby, would Hannah feel that pain? He didn’t want to know the answer. He didn’t want to hurt Hannah.

He became frustrated and let his powers flood him, and it was enough for a glass window to appear. The sun was rising on Hatchetfield, Michigan, and not just anywhere. The curtains were opening on another day, and today, Tony Green’s Body Shop was the star of the show. Xander turned to Ethan, who had his hands pressed against the glass, as two figures walked out of the shop.

The first was tall, possibly taller than Ethan, and wore green flannel as a shirt and a leather jacket with a blue LA cap. He lifted the door to the garage to reveal an old foxbody mustang. Beside him stood a girl with shoulder length brown hair, in a denim jacket and a striped shirt. Ethan suppressed a sob when he saw them, his heart aching as he finally got to see the two again. “Lexi…dad…” he whispered softly, and it made Xander look behind him at the table.

After hearing the hurt in Ethan’s voice, he realised he wasn’t the only person who was missing his loved ones. He swore, that even if he didn’t get out of the realm, that he’d get Ethan out, regardless of the consequences. Ethan needed it more than Xander did, after all.

__  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TONY GREEN TONY GREEN TONY GREEN TONY GREEN TONY GREEN-


	7. Got My Foot On The Gas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tony green hours in the chat ladies gents and geese:  
> we discover everything about tony green and ethan's true significance to the man, we have a few little characters making a return and oh, what's this? lex and hannah have adopted parents?! I wonder who they could be !!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dont think that there are any tws, but theres a minor reference to ethans head injury and there's an attempted murder bUT ALSO NOT AT THE SAME TIME BUT- okay, it's where the car becomes possessed in episode 3 does thAT MAKE SENSE? 
> 
> also creds to gibbley for ethans backstory i absolutely adored it and had to magpie some of the idEAS

Tony Green had to be one of the most sympathetic people on the island by far. Finding someone so generous in Hatchetfield was like finding a needle in a haystack. Tony was Hatchetfield’s needle, and he was one of the only good parts about the island that there were to see. He hadn’t grown up in a good situation. His family had been poor, which had led to, when his parents had died, him becoming homeless. He always tried to stay optimistic, so when he met _her…_ he thought it was the answer. She didn’t care if he had a home or not, she just wanted him. Unfortunately for her, she fell pregnant. For him, he’d been ecstatic. He’d been 21, though, which was pretty young for what he’d hoped for, but he didn’t care. He went to every scan, and he’d been the first one to hold Ethan when he’d been born on the 31st August 1999.

He’d cried. He’d cried as his baby boy was placed in his arms, and his heart swelled up with love. He’d turned to the mother of his baby and offered his tiny child to her. She looked at the wailing bundle of blankets in his arms, and then in his eyes. He’d never forget the words she told him. ‘ _I don’t want a child with one of your kind. Take him. I can’t have my reputation be ruined.’_ So, a 21-year-old Tony Green left the hospital with a baby carrier and a new-born son.

It took a while for him to think of Ethan’s name. Nothing seemed to fit the bright-eyed boy who he held in his arms every day, shielding him from the harsh weathers that were thrown at him. By day 6, after countless job interviews, he landed one at the garage, where he could mend cars for a small price. It wasn’t the most ideal job in the world, but it payed enough for Ethan to survive. He didn’t care about himself. As long as Ethan was okay…

He had a car, though. He sleeps in that car every single night, holding his baby close. The routine went that way for the next three years of Ethan’s life. During those three years, he had to either take Ethan swimming so they could shower, or bunk at someone’s house, and it was mainly Tom Houston’s. Tom was always a good friend to Tony in high school, and though they did grow distant as time moved on, it wasn’t very drastic, and he was always only a phone call away.

He watches Ethan grow up right before his eyes. He wished he could have provided a basic education to him before he started school, but Tony didn’t get a proper degree in school. He could barely do basic math. He can’t spell properly, and it was the only thing he hoped Ethan didn’t take from him. Over that time as well, because he couldn’t pay to get his hair cut, or to get some scissors of his own, Tony’s dark brown hair grew down the back of his neck in soft waves. He’d originally thought he’d hate it, but it suited him, so he kept it.

When Ethan was 4, a few days before he was due to start school, he managed to buy a shop, and not only a shop, but the apartment above it. It was fully furnished so Tony didn’t have to worry about that part of the moving, and when he told Ethan, he’d given him the widest smile. They moved in at once. Tony opened up the shop, which had been better than the garage he’d been working at. Everything worked in perfect condition, and he soon started getting customers. A curious little Ethan would try to help, but Tony couldn’t let him do major parts because he was just so damn small.

Tony watched as Ethan became a smart young man. He didn’t get Tony’s soft waves but did grow into dark curls on the top of his head. His blue eyes seeped from grey to green, and his smile only got brighter. By the time he was nine, he was working with Tony at the garage for fun. He’d come home and talk about someone called Lex Foster. He always smiled, despite the fact he wasn’t doing too good in school. Tony honestly didn’t care about Ethan’s grades. As long as he did his best, that’s all he could ask for.

Things did fall downhill when he hit his teenage years. He started getting more stress piled up on top of him, which led to Ethan taking it out on his father. When he was fifteen, he fell in with the wrong crowd, but also not at the same time. He started smoking, like Tony did and had always done, but also started smoking weed. Tony found this out when Ethan came home high one day. He sighed and sent him to bed. He did find out that the friends he had weren’t actually bad people, so he wasn’t unhappy about the group Ethan was mixing with.

Ethan came out as bisexual when he was 17. He’d sat Tony down on the couch, and it was clear he’d been nervous when he’d spoke. Tony had put his hand on his son’s shoulder and told him it was okay. ‘ _I hooked up with a guy last night,’_ he’d said. ’ _Dad, I’m bisexual.’_ Ethan probably wasn’t expecting the reaction from his father, but Tony grinned and pulled his son in close, holding him tight, letting him cry. It actually made Tony cry. He didn’t care about Ethan’s sexuality or gender, as long as his son was happy, he was happy. And he told him that. ‘ _Is now a good time to say I’m non-binary as well?’_ He’d asked. Tony hadn’t heard that term before, so they’d had a whole discussion about it. Tony confessed he may or may not have seen Tom Houston as more than a friend in high school, but the feelings were never returned, and then Ethan shouted at Tony for never telling him that he knew his shop teacher.

That was also how Ethan ended up with his jacket. It had always been Tony’s, and he had two of them. They were cheap and warm to wear, so he got a lot when they were on sale. Some went missing, some got stolen, and some got wrecked. He ended up with two. When Ethan came out to Tony, he’d rushed to the other room and wrapped the jacket around his son. Ever since he was a baby he’d been obsessed with his dad’s jacket, and Tony had pictures of a new-born Ethan wrapped up in his jackets. They were far too big for him, but they made him happy. Ethan cried harder then and thanked his dad repeatedly. Tony only smiled and wrapped his son back up in a hug.

He met Lex Foster short after Ethan’s 18th, and by short, he meant the day after when she walked into the living room wearing one of Ethan’s hoodies, followed shortly by a very flustered Ethan who almost fell over, skidding to a stop in the room. Ethan explained everything. ‘ _Dad, she’s my girlfriend.’_ Tony had smiled and looked at Lex, telling her if she ever needed a place to stay, that his door was always open.

The two dropped out a week after, and Ethan came to Tony asking for a job. Tony had shut the lid of the car he’d been working on, wondering where the sudden news had come from, and Ethan had explained everything. Lex and her little sister were in an abusive household, and they were desperate to get to California. Ethan wanted to go to California with them. Tony knew it’d be hard to see his son move away so far, but he was growing up. At least he could make it out of Hatchetfield and progress towards the thing he loved.

Ethan Green went missing July 28th, 2018. He’d said he was going to meet Lex at the Lakeside Mall. ‘ _I’ll be home at 8 tonight, dad. If I ain’t back before then, I’m probably stayin at hers, but I’ll text ya if that happens. Don’t worry. I love ya!’_ He waited for Ethan to walk back through the doors. He kept refreshing his phone, he kept looking to the clock. One hour went by, two, then three. Tony went to bed, telling himself if Ethan wasn’t back by morning, he’d ring the cops.

He ended up ringing the cops. He’d been crying on the phone. Ethan was the only family he had left, and he vanished. The cops kept searching for Ethan, but, on the 31st of August, Ethan’s 19th birthday, a cop had told him there was no evidence about a kid named Ethan Green ever living on the island at all, and he should start seeking therapy. Tony had shaken his head and ran to get a photobook with Ethan in, but when he showed it to the cops, Ethan hadn’t been in _any_ of the photos.

Tony thought he was going insane. How had he just imagined a kid for 19 years of his life? He was mourning someone that hadn’t existed, and anyone he asked couldn’t remember anyone named Ethan living on the island at all. There were no records of him at all. His son was missing, and nobody knew who he was. Tony tried to stay optimistic and prayed his son was coming home, and this was all a mistake.

Now it was the 6th January 2019, and the sun rose on Hatchetfield, except, this time, Tony didn’t open the garage alone. Lex Foster had walked into his shop and asked to speak to him. He’d been confused as to why, until she mentioned Ethan, and his hope spiked. He made her coffee before lifting the garage door open, beginning to work back on the Foxbody that belonged to his old friend. Lex hopped up on the bench while Tony got to work. “Did you find Ethan?” He asked, and Lex shook her head.

“I’m here on behalf of the military branch PEIP regarding the Hatchetfield Six which involves both PEIP and the HFPD,” she answered simply, and Tony furrowed his eyebrows, sliding out from under the car, looking at her.

“The Hatchetfield Six?”

“You aren’t to have heard of it.” She shrugged and swung her legs. “It consists of six missing people cases from December of 2003 through to November 23rd, 2018. The people involved are Wilbur Cross, Linda Monroe, Jane Perkins, Ted Spankoffski, Xander Lee and Ethan Green.”

Tony’s heart stopped, and in a rush to get out from under the car, hit his head. “ _Eth’s_ involved?! What do you know? Are they okay? Do you know where they are-“

“The only information I’m aware of is that my little sister keeps telling me that he was my boyfriend, and she keeps talking about black and white. I don’t know what it means.” She shrugged again and sighed. “The point is that…we found one of the missing people yesterday around midday. Ted Spankoffski appeared in the precinct. One out of the six have been found, and he is safe and healthy.”

“Does this mean-?” Tony asked, rubbing his head, putting his cap back on, and Lex nodded.

“There is a chance we’ll be getting Ethan Green back in the next few weeks.”

Tony’s heart started racing again. His son…he could be getting all the answers he needed, about where his kid had been. He wanted answers more than needing them, because he _needed_ Ethan home safe, and he swore to whoever lived in the sky above, that he wasn’t letting the kid out of his sight ever again. “Okay…” he said weakly.

“I understand this is a lot to take in, sir, so here is my number. PEIP will be in contact shortly.” Lex hopped off the bench and saluted to Tony before stepping away.

He took Lex’s number and slipped it into the pocket of his jacket. He adjusted his hat, and when he was about to turn back to the car, he noticed someone in it. She had sandy brown hair and a smirk on her face. Her hair was tied in a low ponytail, and she had a purplish-blue cardigan on over a white shirt. She wore red lipstick and had bright brown eyes. She had her hands on the steering wheel, and the engine revved. Slowly, the car began to creep forward, and Tony put his hands out in front of him, laughing nervously. “Hey, hey come on lady-“ but she didn’t stop. When he found his back pressed against the wall, and the car rolled closer, he knew he was in trouble. Then, he heard a voice. A voice so rich, a voice so familiar, that it was almost too good to be true.

“Xan, I can’t just sit here and watch my dad die!”

“Ethan, don’t you dare-“ another voice shouted, but suddenly, there was a blinding light in front of Tony. It lasted a split second, but when it cleared, there was another figure in front of him.

The figure had defined black curls and wore a familiar leather jacket. He wore worn down blue jeans and heavy boots, a green plaid styled shirt tied around their waist. From where Tony stood, he could see blood dripping down the kid’s head. He stood, frozen, as he watched him. He was pushing against the moving car, which seemed to startle the figure driving it. “Ethan?” Tony asked, his voice soft, but high pitched.

Ethan didn’t take his eyes off of the car, using his entire strength to push against it. He could feel a burning in his limbs, and he almost lost his footing. “I’ve died once already, and I’ll fuckin do it again, Jane! But not my dad. Not my dad!” There was another burst of green that knocked the car back a little more. “If I gotta die again for my dad to survive, then so fuckin’ be it! But I ain’t lettin’ him get hurt! He did more for me than anyone! He raised me out of nothin’, he gave me everythin’, and he don’t deserve to die! You’re fuckin’ evil!”

The woman inside the car looked at Ethan and laughed. “Oh, sweetheart…I know.”

With another bright burst of the dark green light, the car was pushed to a stop, and the figure inside of the car was gone. Instead left the pained figure of a 19-year-old kid, who looked ahead, dazed, before collapsing to the ground.

Tony gasped out in surprise and ran forward, catching Ethan before he hit the floor, and once safely in his arms, pulled his kid to his chest. The wound on Ethan’s head that’d been there before had since been covered up with a fresh layer of skin. His son, his beautiful son, was back in his arms after so long. And he was _shaking._ Ethan looked up at his dad, tears streaming down his face. “Couldn’t let her get you-“

“Don’t worry, Eth, don’t worry bud, okay? Don’t even think twice about my safety…oh kiddo…” he pulled Ethan close to his chest.

“I tried- I tried to protect you and Lexi in there, I tried, I wanted to make you proud…” he burrowed into the comfort of his father’s arms, sobbing afterwards. “Dad, it hurts- it hurts _so badly.”_

“Where hurts? I’ve got a medic kit in the office; I can go grab it and I’ll make ya all better.”

“It can’t be mended.” Ethan said as he tightened his grip on his dad. “Don’t let me go?”

“You’ve been missing since July, sweetheart, I wasn’t planning on it.” Tony held Ethan closer to him than ever before, letting Ethan cry it out, as a figure walked down the path to come and collect his car. The eyes of Tom Houston’s opened wide, and he put his keys down on the workbench. Tony looked at Tom, unable to get a word out, but he was already on the phone.

“Beck…there’s an injured kid at Green’s body shop, you got a bed for one more?”

 _“No, sorry, Bridgette took the last one. Her last surgery went haywire and there were more complications.”_ A deep sigh came from Becky’s behalf. “ _How injured are we talkin?”_

“Pretty bad…” Tom was unable to take his eyes off of the kid in his old friend’s arms. “I think it might be Ethan…”

_“Ethan’s a real person? Tony wasn’t just goin’ off the rails?”_

“Apparently not…look, is there any way you can come out and treat this kid or can you get a bed?”

“ _I can’t do either of those things, but I know someone who can…”_

* * *

The door of the 1987 Pontiac Firebird opened, and Alexandra Foster climbed in the back of it, slinging her bag on to her lap. “Hey, Holloway.”

“And where’s my hello, dear?” A man wearing a leather jacket and a white shirt with naturally slicked back black hair.

Lex rolled her eyes as she took out a bottle of water from her bag. “Hello, Duke,” she said sarcastically before turning to her sister. “Hi, Banana.”

“Lexi!” Hannah squeaked happily and reached for the bag, making grabby hands towards her big sister. Lex smiled and passed it over, as the woman with flaming red hair in the front seat began to speak.

“You spoke to Green without a problem?”

“Not one,” Lex said as the firebird began to roll away.

“And did he tell you anything else?”

“No, he just kept asking _me_ if I knew anything. I’ve worked for PEIP, for, what, a couple months?” She shrugged, pulling her hood up. “I don’t even know an Ethan.”

“Greeny. Black and White. Returns,” Hannah said, her fingers examining each button with close proximity.

“I bet he does,” Douglas Keane said from the front seat, looking at his daughters in the backseat. “Let’s get you girls home, okay?”

“Kay,” Hannah mumbled, before crackling came from the radio.

“Darlin’, you got a call, ya know.”

“Oh, I know,” Holloway said as she answered the call. “Hello, Miss Holloway speaking with the institution PEIP, who may I be speaking to?”

_“Holly? Hey, this is Becky Barnes-“_

Holloway furrowed her eyebrows and continued driving. “Nurse Barnes? What may present me the honour of speaking to you on such a fine day?”

_“Quick question, is Lex seated?”_

“Yes, why?”

“ _Tom just rang me. Tony’s got a kid in his arms. He thinks it’s the Ethan kid.”_

“Greeny. Black and White. Returns,” Hannah mumbled a little more definitely, and Lex’s eyes widened. Ethan was real…Ethan was…real.

She tried to focus on the phone call, but there was a pounding in her head that began to worsen. Every time she shut her eyes, she saw a pale teenage boy with black curls and bright green eyes in her vision. Sometimes he’d be holding Lex in his arms, other times it’d be Hannah, sometimes it’d be his cousin – how did she know that? The pain began to form a beat, and she held her head, her fingernails digging into her scalp. She grit her teeth, putting it off to a bad migraine, but now she was starting to hear a voice she’d never heard before. It was getting louder and louder, and it was continuing to get louder. It was a canary’s song that softened in her ears. Every time she blinked, there was now a green light that flashed and brightened more than ever. Eventually, the pain became too much, and she screamed out, jolting forward.

“Darlin’, pull over!” Duke said, looking at Holloway as she hung up on the radio, punching in another number. He waited until Holloway had stopped the car before getting out of it, unbuckling Lex from the car, gently pulling her out of it, sitting her on the curb. She sobbed, and Duke held his adoptive daughter close to his chest, looking to Holloway for support, and then to Hannah.

Hannah looked at both of them, smiling a toothy grin. “Ethan back.”

Holloway’s breath hitched as she listened to the radio ring. When someone picked up, and she heard the same rough voice she’d been meaning to hear for so long, she sighed a sigh of relief, thanking the gods she’d gotten the right number. She promised she’d never go back there. Especially not after what happened with Wilbur. Her and Wilbur had been arch enemies back at the agency when they first started out, and alongside Colonel Hill, had a rush to be the first, to impress Icacks. Of course, the feelings got in the way, and, in bed one day, when she let slip she had a connection to the Black and White, she didn’t know why she’d been so surprised when he said he was going in the portal. He’d always been the jealous type.

She found out he cheated when Pamela Foster walked into HQ with a nine-year-old in one hand and a new-born baby in the other. Her and Wilbur had been dating for a year and a month, and it takes nine months to form a baby. If she wasn’t heartbroken enough because of the loss of Will, someone she’d given a second chance, then she certainly was after.

She quit PEIP and swore to never go back there. She joined the social services team in Hatchetfield and met Duke. She recognised the feelings, and she realised she must have something for men with slicked back hair. He stole her heart, swept her up from under her feet, and together, they fought Lex and Hannah’s case for them, and she took the biological daughter of Wilbur Cross into her care. Hannah didn’t need to know who Wilbur was. Neither did Lex, actually. They just needed to understand that her and Duke Keane were their legal guardians now, their adoptive parents, and she was gonna make sure that they were safe just to spite Colonel Cross.

She swore to never go back, and there she was, listening to General McNamara’s voice on the radio. She looked to Lex and sighed. “General McNamara? This is ex-Colonel Holloway. I’m with my boyfriend Douglas Keane and our two girls, Alexandra Foster and Hannah? There’s been a report of Ethan Green being sighted in Hatchetfield. I’m bringing Lex over to ya, but you’re gonna need to set up the beds.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Holloway's name isnt holly holloway, holly is holloway shortened. Secondly, holloway and cross said slow burn enemies to lovers rights and then will was a massive dick.   
> 2\. ethan wasn't supposed to come back yet


	8. It's All By Design

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the mcnamara/icacks/lowery family have a mini reunion, mcnamara has some very important files for his mentee to sign, maam holloway appears, and the black and white fucks wilbur ten times over, but not literally

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that section at the end of the first segment goes out to zoya btw told u it was gonna happen xoxo

He drank the night away, laughing and stumbling against his boyfriend, who kept an arm wrapped around him to ensure he didn’t fall. They didn’t stay out for _too_ long, however, because of what he needed to do the next day. They drove home just before midnight, and Gary carried him up to bed. He ensured he was asleep before grabbing him a glass of water for when he woke.

But for a man in a hurry, it also meant his day started as soon as the sun dared to peek through the clouds. When the faintest spots of gold appeared in the sky, Micah rubbed his eyes and shifted out of Gary’s arms, slipping out of bed, taking the glass of water, sipping on it generously, as he got himself ready. Gary started shifting three hours later at 8:45 when his alarm sounded. Downstairs, Micah was already making them both breakfast. The attorney walked downstairs and wrapped his arms around Micah’s waist, burying his face into his hair. Micah smiled and continued cooking, patting his boyfriend’s hands that were latched to his chest. He reached for plates and dished up the food for the both of them. Gary took his serving and sat on the couch, Micah following him through.

After breakfast, Micah passed his plate to Gary so he could finish getting ready for PEIP. He couldn’t wait until 11 to get there. The sooner he arrived at the precinct, the sooner he could get there, the sooner he could get a job, and at the next family meetup, he could throw it in his brother’s face. It just proved faking your death didn’t always make you out to be the hero, but the unsung heroes of Hatchetfield were, in fact, the baristas of beanies who had to sing for a man’s benefit.

He kissed Gary on the cheek as he left and grabbed his coat, slipping it on, before heading to his car. He got in, made himself look presentable again, and drove over to HQ, excitedness flowing through his veins. Not only would he begin to become more important in the family and finally recognised, but he’d also see his favourite co-worker to date, Louisiana Hartford-Carmichael. She was several years younger than him, but they were very good friends in the store when she worked there. He trained her, after all, so she had to be a decent person at best.

He parked out the front of HQ and shut the door behind him, standing and heading to the entrance. As soon as he stepped inside, he smiled. PEIP hadn’t changed a single part, aside from the obvious coming and going of recruits due to death, old age or retirement. There were still some faces he recognised from when he was invited to Gareth’s shitty work parties. They truly were shit. There wasn’t any alcohol, and back in early 2000s, all Micah wanted to do was get drunk off his face and leave with some guy. He rolled his eyes at the memory. He couldn’t believe his brother was seen as an honourable figure just because he founded the military branch. He could name twelve other people who deserved that title, and none of them were Gareth.

He walked to the front desk and said he was there to see General McNamara and the lady there politely grabbed a clipboard, got him to sign a few things, before taking him into the main room. He saw the general standing at the edge of the table, and Micah threw on a wide smile. “General McNamara, it’s so good to see you again!” He said and outstretched a hand, that John took.

“I’m glad to see you’re well. Please, take a seat. We’ll be here a while. A _long, long_ while.” He withdrew his hand and took his place at the top of the table, moving his laptop to the right of him, tapping a bunch of printed out files to the left of him. He lifted his pen and flicked on to the second page, signing something at the top, glancing up to Micah momentarily. “We’re just awaiting a third person to join us. Then we can get started.”

“It’s not my brother, is it?” Micah asked, dread pooling in his stomach.

“Unfortunately not. We weren’t able to get a hold of General Icacks, who we contacted _after_ you, may I add before you get offended.”

Micah put on a smirk and nodded, pleased with himself. “I’m glad you were able to trust me with this case, sir.”

“You’re a very intelligent man, Michael. Your brother...he was better in the field, and this isn’t necessarily to do with the field. This is more…tactical.”

At that, Micah let out a hiss of excitement, clasping his hands on the table. “I like the sound of that.” As he spoke, the door opened behind them, shutting with a slight amount of force that was just enough to make them uncomfortable, but not enough to put them in a dangerous situation.

“Of course, fuckwit would,” the voice spoke as a 6’ man with hair close to a light golden sat down, taking his glasses off, slumping in his chair.

“Family reunion?” Micah tried, and John rolled his eyes.

“And now all members of today’s meeting are here, it may proceed. We have here today General Jonathan Myles McNamara aged 35, Michael Icacks aged 46 and Samuel Lowery aged 37 here to discuss cases ranging from BYXJ 3.0 to 3.1, BXYF 1.1 as well as BYXF 1.0 through to 1.4 otherwise entitled as the cases of The Hatchetfield Six. Recording this meeting today we have Privates Louisiana Hartford-Carmichael and Benjamin Robert Slate both aged 19 in booth 4B. With that over and done with, Micah, let me give you the lowdown,” John said and loaded up a document on his laptop, turning to the barista.

“Okay?” He asked, smiling at the intriguingness of the situation they were in.

“December 3rd, 2003, a man named Alexander Lee went missing and was reported to the HFPD, hence why dipfuck is present with us today. February 2005, my mentor, Wilbur Cross, and your brother’s mentee went ‘missing.’ That’s what we want the public to think. I’ll get on to that later. There wasn’t a missing persons report until 2017 when Jane Perkins got in a car crash, and when about to be pronounced dead, the body wasn’t in the hospital bed, even though a nurse distinctly remembers working on that lady. July 2018 and a young boy named Ethan Green, aged 18 at the time, was reported to the HFPD by his father, Tony. Four days later, CCRP Technical sent in a report on behalf of one of their coworkers, Ted Spankoffski, who’d also been reported missing, and finally, in November, Linda Monroe, president of the Hatchetfield boating society, was reported missing by her husband, Gerald.”

Micah accidentally let out a very obnoxious laugh at the last point and clasped his hand over his mouth, holding a hand up to John and Sam, who were both looking at him as if he were alien. “I shouldn’t laugh- it’s tragic really but-“ he collapsed into another fit of laughter, before clearing his throat to reconstruct his posture. “I’m sorry…but Ms Monroe was the reason Gary cheated on me back in 2007 and they have two kids Gerald isn’t aware of- they’re pretty fuckin’ cute if I do say so myself.”

John sighed and shook his head before looking at Micah, and also to Sam. “The reason I hosted this meeting today is because yesterday, at midday, Theodore Spankoffski appeared in PEIP’s precinct unharmed, alive, and mentally stable…or so he claims. I was with Private Paul Matthews when it happened, and Paul took him to the medical bay where he was given a thorough examination.”

“So, the man who tried to court _my_ wife is back? From where? The fuckin’ dead?! God, I hope he went to hell, tryna seduce Char like that,” Sam scoffed, and John shook his head, clicking a button, a powerpoint loading on the wall behind him.

“Not quite hell but close to it. Allow me to introduce the concept of The Black and White to you. Whether you believed in it prior to this meeting or not, PEIP have discovered that there are many different dimensions, an infinite amount that keep expanding. Within these dimensions, directly in the middle, is a rip in time and space. It’s a pitch-black area that has been able to be accessed via portal that is kept in a room unable to be accessed by anyone. It’s too dangerous. We have agents specified to monitor it, but nobody can go within 6ft of the bastard. Lately, the portal has been more active than ever before, which adds to the fact Ted Spankoffski was able to provide information.”

“So Spankoffski was… _in_ The Black and White?” Sam questioned, suddenly pulling out a notebook of his own.

“He’s the exception. He was never in there to begin with. The only reason he had a link to The Black and White is because of an eldritch god situated within the place.”

“What?!” The other two men in the room declared in shock, and John nodded as if it were nothing.

“There’s six of them.”

“ _Six!?”_ Sam asked, eyes wide and frantic. “So, there are literal gods that can be accessed through a portal?”

“No. There are gods that live in a realm that can be accessed through a portal- keep up Samuel.” Micah sighed and looked to John, who was now suppressing laughter.

“Technically there are six eldritch gods, but there are four puppets, one prophet and a middle-aged psychiatrist. As well as twelve Sniggles.”

“What the _fuck_ is a sniggle- John, are you sure you ain’t on LSD?” Sam asked, and John shook his head.

“No, he’s actually talking sense.” Micah shrugged which allowed a concerned expression of Sam’s to seep through.

“So, in total, there are-“ John began, but was cut off by the speakers crackling. He turned to the screen where Lou and Benny sat sheepishly behind. Lou leaned forward and switched on her microphone. “I’m so sorry, Private, what is it?” John asked, and Lou bit her cheek as she spoke.

“You want the good news or the bad news sir?”

John sighed and rolled his eyes. “Say them both at once.”

“Benny passed out after complaining of a mass headache that progressed within milliseconds and I’ve got Miss Holloway on the phone? She said you’ll know who she is?”

John’s eyes widened and he held a hand up to the other two men, mimicking for them to silence themselves. “Send the call through.”

Lou nodded and, with a slight amount of fiddling with buttons, the speakers crackled once again.

_“General McNamara? This is ex-Colonel Holloway. I’m with my boyfriend Douglas Keane and our two girls, Alexandra Foster and Hannah? There’s been a report of Ethan Green being sighted in Hatchetfield. I’m bringing Lex over to ya, but you’re gonna need to set up the beds.”_

John’s eyes widened and he was ready to jump up in seconds. “What’s happened to Lex?”

_“Currently, sir, I’m unsure, but we were just drivin’. She’d gone to speak to Tony on behalf of ya, and then she just lets out this scream. Duke’s got her, but she’s pretty shaken. I’m wonderin’ if there are any other similar cases that have appeared around Hatchetfield? I’d risk it myself, but I’m the one drivin’ the Pontiac.”_

“I don’t know, I had a report of one of my agents passing out from a headache a few seconds ago before your call was transferred…” While speaking, John looked into his files and found a citizen file under the name of ‘Ethan Green.’ He clicked on it, and a list of names appeared. “I know what to do. Holloway, I’ll meet you at the entrance in ten minutes. Godspeed, ma’am.” The call ended, and John stood, memorising the list of names that were on the screen before shutting the lid of the laptop, sliding the printed files inside of it. He gestured for Lou to meet him in the room, and he watched her leave the room she’d been in previously.

“Sorry but uh…what’s going on?” Micah asked, slowly standing, as Lou walked in behind him.

“Sup Icacks.”

“Hartford.” Micah said simply, ignoring the smile that appeared on Lou’s face as she took her place beside John.

The general snapped his fingers in the direction of Sam. “This is an unnegotiable order coming from me.”

“Who put you in charge?” Sam asked, and John’s eyes widened out of pure anger.

“I don’t have time for this. I’m the one who knows what’s going on around here, so if you’d kindly follow my instructions!” He snapped slightly, which quietened Sam down. “You, Lowery, are going to escort Alice Woodward, Oliver Hidgens, Lucas Spankoffski, Henry Hidgens, Lucy Stockworth, Charlotte Lowery and Bill Woodward to HQ. You mustn’t tell them this is a military base, for if you do, we will end you. I want them here before midday. Icacks,” he said, which caught Micah’s attention. “I want you on communications with the other PEIP agents. I know you’re good with taking orders in that format. Head to the medical wing. You’re in charge of that station. Hartford, you’re staying with me.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now go!” John told the other two, who stood and scrambled from the room, the faint noise of bickering down the corridor as they went to their stations. It left the two other agents there. Lou cleared her throat, clearly slightly uncomfortable, and John looked to his mentee. His complexion softened, and he pulled out a seat for her. “Take a seat. Let’s talk,” he said, and so she did. John grabbed another and sat beside her, taking the files he’d printed off earlier, leaving only one, which was the one he’d been writing on during the meeting. “How’s it going?”

“Things could be better, sir…Benny passing out so suddenly it…it kinda sent me into shock?” She said and looked up to him. “He ain’t ever passed out before and…it was all so sudden…it really scared me, sir.”

“I can tell it did, I can tell.” He shifted in the chair to face her, taking a pen again, looking at her. “I was going to ask you about this later on, but I fear I may be working overtime with Ethan’s recent appearance, so I figured while I get my idiot relatives out the room, we can talk.”

“We can?” She asked before trying to get a peek of what was on the folders in John’s hand. “What’sat?”

John raised an eyebrow and shielded the papers from her, smiling softly. “My dear Louisiana. I’ve watched you flourish into such an amazing agent these past two years. I’ve comforted you, I’ve supported you, and I began to view myself as my own mentor when he was supporting me. So, while I get the chance, I’m going to offer you something I wish he’d have offered me. It’s kinda bending the rules a little bit because, technically the maximum age is 18 but I did a little bit of negotiating but…” he said and placed the files down in front of her, as well as the pen. “You’re different. A good different, quite clearly, but I did some thinking myself. This was the conclusion I came down to.”

Lou moved the papers further in front of her and her eyes widened slightly. _Adoption forms._ John had already signed his part, and he was offering for her to sign as well. “Oh my god…John, I-I really don’t know what to say this time.”

John watched as she read over the papers and spoke again. “I never wanted kids. Or to get married. I said that ever since I was 14. Then I met the anonymous guy who you’re so desperate to hear about who you never will and I decided marriage might not be so bad after all, but I was still persistent on the fact I didn’t want kids. That was…until I started mentoring you. I looked up to Colonel Cross like he was my own father, and you proved it to me that you view me in the same way after that one mission we went on together. It isn’t a bad thing. So, before I regret not asking you, what do you say?” Immediately, Lou scribbled her name down where needed, and looked up to John, beaming. He took the papers from her and slid them back into the safety of the laptop. “I’ve never seen someone sign something so quickly.”

“Thank you…” Lou managed to choke out before tackling John into a hug, knocking him back slightly.

He shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close like he’d done all the other times before. “I need to send them off so they can be confirmed, but I got the best lawyer in Hatchetfield, so it won’t matter too much, and then that’s it. You won’t have to change your surname; you won’t have to come and live with me if you want to stay with Private Slate. I understand him and George mean a lot to you. Just let me know in advance if you want to move in, okay? We’ll go shopping and get you everything _you_ want for a room.”

Lou laughed and pulled away, looking to him. “Only if Benny and George can move into a better place.”

“If that’s what you want, dear, then I’ll give Benny the offer when he wakes up, and it’ll all be featured and payed for by PEIP. Does that sound good?”

“It sounds really… _really_ good.” She smiled before John stood, as did Lou. John placed his hand on her shoulder, looking at her.

“Go help Icacks in the infirmary. I’ll be bringing Lex in shortly. I’ll ensure Benny’s dealt with as well. Godspeed, Louisiana.”

“Godspeed to you, Jonathan!” She said before shooting him a wide smile, turning on her heel and rushing from the room. He smiled with a sigh as he grabbed his laptop, stopping at his office to drop it off, before meeting Holloway in the reception area. John smiled at her as Duke Keane walked in, Lex in his arms, Hannah following at his side. He looked at the concerned face of the social worker before letting his expression soften. “Miss Holloway, Mr Keane, follow me through. We’ll take excellent care of your daughter.”

* * *

As soon as Ethan had somehow managed to transport himself back to the real world in a physical form, Wilbur must have detected it, for he was by Xander’s side in seconds, watching as the events of Hatchetfield unravelled in front of his eyes. There was a faint fizzing noise behind them as a soul appeared, specifically the one of Jane Perkins. After Jane came Linda, and then the eldritch gods who followed their leaders. Xander remained hopeful all the way and watched as John explained everything. It was all running so smoothly, until Holloway appeared on site.

Wilbur became displeased immediately and stood, throwing his rotting apple core into the blood and it didn’t thud. It shattered like glass. He turned to Tinky and laughed, a snarl on the edge of his voice. “This is your fault, ain’t it.”

“No, it isn’t!” He said, the ends of his horns becoming sharper as his mood transitioned from the calm he’d experienced before to the frustration of being picked on. Again.

“Of course it is! I gave ya that fuckin’ box, I gave ya it so you can keep an eye on what’s going on!”

“Okay, that’s definitely incorrect. I’ve had my Toy-Box since the beginning of time!” Tinky argued back. “And I don’t keep an eye on things, that’s Blinky!”

“Bullshit,” Wilbur called, but the purple god spoke up, standing beside his brother.

“No, Karaxis has a point…you didn’t give him anything. Next you’ll be saying that Pokey’s responsible for Black Friday and Nibbly shot Linda.”

“Either way! Ethan’s gotten out, Jane’s vanishing in and out, and guess who’s made _their_ dramatic entrance! Not _just_ my nephew, but also Miss Holly Holloway!” Wilbur said, his eyes a lit green flame.

Webby, sitting beside Xander on the floor, turned to Wilbur, her face constructed into a stern smirk. “Didn’t _your_ hatred spark from the fact that you had an affair on Holloway four months into you relationship, got Pamela Foster pregnant, and isn’t the reason John’s parents turned to hate him were because you seduced John’s mom as well?”

“She’s got a point,” Linda spoke up from beside Wilbur. “I cheated on my husband and fell pregnant with twins. At least I had the audacity to allow Gary to see them, even if he _does_ have that disgusting boyfriend of his.” Then she blinked and looked at Wilbur. “You seduced _me_ in the middle of my favourite store _on Black Friday_ so _I_ could become The Prophet! Even before then, you said the fact that _I_ wanted to be loved was bullshit that I should feed my therapist!”

“Lindy’s right, Uncle Wiley.” Wiggly said, his from slowly materialising back to his human one instead of his sea creature persona. “She said what she wanted. They all said what they wanted, and you certainly can’t change that.” Wiggly turned to Pokey, who looked up, his eyes wide, rushing to put his mask on. “Pokey, my deawest bwother, pwease remind our Uncle Wiley what Hatchetfield wants.”

Pokey coughed and stood, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. “Emma wanted to recover from Jane’s death, Paul wanted to be Emma’s boyfriend, McNamara wanted America to get a grip and for his mentor to come back, Xander wanted John to be happy and nothing else, Ted wanted Charlotte, Charlotte wanted Ted, Bill wanted more custody of his daughter, Alice wanted to live with Bill, Ethan and Lex wanted to take Hannah to California, Linda wanted to find love _and_ adoration, Gerald wanted the truth, Hidgens wanted his boyfriend back, Micah wanted Gary, Gary wanted the truth, Becky wanted a happy marriage, Tom wanted to stop grieving Jane and-“

“That’s enough!” Wilbur snapped and looked at Xander.

“He ain’t got nothin’ to comment, Will,” Jane said from nearby the other man, and Xander shook his head.

“My John’s just adopted his mentor into his custody, unlike what you were going to do.” Xander smiled and stood, Webby helping him up. “But you didn’t run into the portal without a reason. You ran because you were a mindless fool who knew who wouldn’t be able to deal with the consequences of your disgraceful actions catching up to you. Well, Hannah’s in Holloway’s custody as her child now, and John adopted his mentor.” He smiled at the older colonel and then laughed. “You could take a few lessons from the best general PEIPs ever had-“

Instead of following Wilbur’s order, Tinky started laughing at Xander. No, not _at,_ with. Tinky started laughing with Xander, and then Blinky, then Wiggly himself, then Pokey and Nibbly. Webby had to stifle her laughter, but Linda allowed herself to cackle at the truth, but Jane and Wilbur remained silent.

“The point is Holloway’s gonna pay! And you’ve gotta remember, I run this place!” Wilbur snarled until Webby spoke.

“Oh, I don’t think you do, Wilbur.” Webby said, outstretching her several limbs. “You’re just one of our puppets. Xander’s mine, you’re Wiggly’s- each and every member of the Hatchetfield Six correspond to one of us. Figure it out, Wilbur, and then figure out where Holloway comes into play.”

In a fit of rage, Wilbur snarled and stormed away, leaving the others to peer back through the window.

“I know we don’t always agree on shit guys, but pissing Wilbur off has got to be the best thing that’s happened to us, dontcha think?” Tinky asked, and every one of the gods hummed in agreement. Xander felt himself smiling as he leaned against Webby’s side. Maybe there wasn’t such a negative side to these gods after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a aa a a a a a a a holly holloway-
> 
> anyway the dolls are still the villains. they just are also sick of wilburs bullshit xoxo


	9. How Deeply That You're Afraid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> so ethan's back,, there's that. and uh,,, yeah some bad guys come back in this one. and also one not bad guy, so they're a good guy. but it's tom's fault

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the summary makes tom out to be the bad guy. tom is not the bad guy. anyway, no tw!!! none!!

Holloway wasn’t an idiot. She knew what was happening and, more importantly, _how_ it was happening. She wasn’t surprised that the memories were leaking back, and therefore resulting in the extreme headaches the citizens of Hatchetfield would be experiencing. It all linked back to the bastard that was Wilbur Cross. She saw him as nothing more than an enemy, again, as she always had. She knew she shouldn’t have let anything come between them and allowing him into her life like that was a careless act to contradict the careful ones he offered her.

She shook her head as she drove, occasionally glancing over to the backseat. Duke had moved from the front seat to the back, keeping Lex close to his chest. Hannah was back in her own world, talking to Webby again. Holloway smiled as she hit the gas on the Pontiac, heading back to the precinct she’d learnt to associate with the pure negatives in the world. She never wanted to head back there, but if it were for business matters, then so be it.

She parked the car and looked to Duke, unbuckling. She asked if he could lift Lex, and another word didn’t spill from the man’s mouth as they got out the car together. Holloway looked at the faded, red-bricked building, gesturing for Duke to follow her. Duke, beside him, ushered Hannah along, with the smaller girl rambling nonsense to herself as Holloway thought she would. She smiled to herself and approached the doors, punching in the code. To her surprise, it hadn’t changed, so it was still the same one from 1979. No wonder they got so many attacks.

Again, she gestured for her boyfriend and Hannah to follow her through. She shut the door behind them and looked around. She underestimated what she’d seen on the outside. PEIP had changed, but from what she thought, it was only to add more technology to the place. It was reasonable enough to do so, but _not_ with that many computers. She scoffed. If Colonel Hill had been placed in charge, or even herself, she’d have minimal amounts. And the décor was _hideous._

She stopped looking around when the familiar face of an old friend appeared at the door. He wasn’t as young anymore, no longer 17, and with quick calculations, she realised it was down to the fact he was now 35 years old. He nodded to Holloway, and out of respect, she did the same. “Miss Holloway, Mr Keane, follow me through. We’ll take excellent care of your daughter.” He said, and Holloway turned to Duke.

“Duke, this is John McNamara. This is the kid my ex mentored.” She explained, and Douglas blinked before nodding. When Holloway looked back to John, there was a hint of shock in his eyes, but Holloway shrugged. “General McNamara, may you lead the way?”

John nodded and pursed his lips, turning on his heel. “May you follow me,” he said, no longer asking a question, but more of an order minus the ordering part of it. Holloway and turned to Duke, holding her hand out to Hannah, who took it with a smile. She motioned for Duke to follow her through the doors. She walked through herself, ignoring the business of the area around her, which she put down to the local incidents occurring all at once tonight. Hannah skipped happily alongside her until they reached the medical bay, where Micah and Lou were already working hard on Benny.

“Holloway, this is Michael Icacks, and this is my daughter, Private Louisiana Hartford-Carmichael.” John said as he prepared one of the other beds, looking back to the man in the trenchcoat. “Ex-colonel Holloway was one of the first agents who worked with your brother, as well as with Wilbur Cross.”

“Are you a stuck-up bitch as well?” He questioned, earning a disgusted look from Duke as his protective instincts over his girlfriend took over.

“I’m quite the opposite,” she said with a sweet smile before looking back at John, who was still working on the bed. He stepped back shortly after and gestured to Duke to place the half-unconscious Lex down. “So, General McNamara, may I get the rundown of what’s going on? And how may I be able to help?”

“Of course,” John said and took a breath, clicking his fingers at Lou, drawing her attention. “Sweetheart, you don’t think you can stay with Benny until he wakes up, do you?”

“I can do that,” she said and smiled.

John nodded and looked at Micah. “Get the rest of the bed ready. If my speculations are correct, Tony Green is gonna burst through those doors with Tom Houston and Becky Barnes any minute now. Micah saluted to the general, as he turned back to Holloway. “Miss Holloway, please follow me.”

“Uh, I would _also_ like to know what’s going on.” Duke said, and John stopped, until Lou spoke up.

“It’s no worries, sir. I’ll take care of Lex and if she wakes up, I’ll notify you immediately.”

“Thank you, Private Hartford.” He nodded to her, and she nodded back, turning back to the beds. John, with a heavy sigh, turned back to Holloway. “Follow me.”

Once again, Hannah took Duke’s hand, and John led them to the room where they needed to go, which was John’s office. He sat down at his desk, waving a hand to the chairs in front of him, indicating for them to sit down. It was hard for him to admit this was an easy thing to discuss with Holloway, especially with her backstory with Wilbur that was fairly well known around a certain group of agents. John only knew because before Holloway quit, she’d continued to mentor him in Wilbur’s place so he could get the general title. He didn’t want to alarm Holloway about the matter; he wanted her to continue doing the thing she loved with the man he knew she was head over heels for still. He took a breath and looked to the two adults as Hannah hummed to herself in the chair beside Duke.

“Alright. Let’s talk.”

* * *

The last thing a parent ever wanted to see was their child injured, and also their child crying because of the pain that they couldn’t take away. It’s why the situation was breaking Tony’s heart so badly. He’d just gotten his kid back from the dead, or whatever The Black and White was as Ethan kept saying, and he was in a severe amount of pain. Again, he lurched forward in Tony’s arms, gasping for air, and Tony pulled him back against his chest, trying to keep him calm.

And the town had called him crazy. He knew he wasn’t, he knew right from the start of the whole ordeal that he wasn’t. He’d known he had a kid who’d vanished off of the face of the planet, and in return, he got called a lunatic, ‘off the rails’, ‘psychotic.’ Yeah, they were _just_ to name a few. He tried to please everyone, he really did, but sometimes, he was seen as a part of the working class and treated like the dirt he worked in every day.

The HFPD were useless when it came to the case. If they’d have just _asked_ him about Ethan, then maybe it’d have led them to discovering the truth about the others who’d gone missing as well. He woke every day and put on the radio while he made himself breakfast and had to listen to Donna Degot and Dan Reynolds talking about something bizarre that happened on the island. The most well-known, and talked about one, was Peanuts, the Hatchetfield pocket squirrel. Tony didn’t get the ‘hype’ about the squirrel, if he were being entirely honest. In the rare event they weren’t talking about the rodent, they were talking about the Hatchetfield Six.

Tony remembered when the first statement confirming that something weird was going on under Hatchetfield’s metaphorical roof was announced. It was three people back then, and it was in August. _“If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Alexander James Lee who’s been missing since 2004, Wilbur Cross who’s been missing since February 2005 and/or Ethan Green who’s been missing since July 2018, please report it to the Hatchetfield Police Department.”_ That was what Samuel Lowery had told the nation, but Ethan’s case got dropped not long after.

This proved them wrong all together. Ethan was practically scream-sobbing in his father’s arms, pretty much begging for mercy. Occasionally, he’d pick up his head and looked around, shouting a name or two. One of the more frequent ones was Lex, clearly, but he also called for someone called Xander. Tony hadn’t ever known Ethan knew someone named Xander, and he was curious as to if he’d been an ex=boyfriend of his, or an old friend. He’d ask his son about it, but they definitely were _not_ in the right state of mind to hold a conversation that important.

Tom Houston stood by his car that Tony had finished mending before Ethan appeared out of nowhere. He was on the phone to someone called Beck, and from what he knew based on rumours that had spread, he was on the phone to Becky Barnes. It was reasonable enough due to the fact Ms Barnes works in a hospital, but it was something in the tone of Tom’s voice that was starting to prove that it wasn’t just because he knew someone from the hospital. He knew that tone, and he knew how it sounded when you were talking to someone you deeply loved.

Tom hung up the phone, slipping it in his coat pocket, as he crouched in front of both Tom and Tony. His eyes scanned over Ethan, and Tony shielded him a little more, his paternal instincts high at that point. Tom chewed on his lip and nodded at that, sighing. He must have expected that to happen, for he didn’t push any further. Tony could tell, though, by the expression on the soldier’s face that he was itching to ask Tony something, or maybe it was Ethan. Tom wasn’t an idiot, so he was sure he wasn’t going to ask Ethan anything.

Tony continued to stroke Ethan’s hair, placing a kiss upon it once in a while. He was scared to let him go. He held Ethan’s clothes in his hands, brushing his hands against Ethan’s fair skin, balling the leather jacket that had once been his in his cracked hands, taking in the softness of Ethan’s hair against his face. Those were the positives, but the negatives were just as strong. He took in the fierce shaking of his son as he quivered against his father’s torso, the strength of the grip Ethan had on him, his sobbing which was still strong but raspier. Tony would be lying if he said he didn’t pity his son.

Relief washed over him again when he saw another car pull up. From the corner of his eye, he believed it to be an ambulance, though he was mistaken when there was a bright flash of red hair that was situated in the window. Tony looked at Ethan again, telling him they were getting to safety, getting Ethan help, as the woman revealed herself, taking her rightful place at Tom’s side, a worried expression firm on her face.

Becky Barnes examined the scene and gestured to the two cars. The plan was set. Becky was going to take her car, Tom was going to drive the newly mended Foxbody and if it wasn’t quite done for repairs yet, he’d go with Becky, and Tony would take Ethan in his own run down car. Tony, happy with the plan, happy to follow the nurse, lifted Ethan up into the car. Again, the teen screamed, but buried himself into his father’s neck. Tony could have cried at the relief he felt from the sensation that came with it. Ethan was alive, and Ethan was getting help.

Once Ethan was seated again, he seemed to settle, reduced back to just tears. Tony buckled him in first, and he had a flashback to when he was a tiny little kid. He managed to smile as he was transported back to when he was six, and he still had his baby fat and a wide smile with gapped teeth and the bright green eyes he had today, as well as light brown curls that were newly sprouting from his head. Now, he was seeing his son as the kid he’d raised to be respectful and know right from wrong, to understand the truth, and he saw the same kid, just older, thinner, and respectfully, more attractive.

He planted the softest kiss on Ethan’s forehead and cupped his cheek, wiping his tears away, looking into his deep eyes, and he wasn’t exactly shocked when he looked back at him. “You’re safe now, buddy. But here’s a warnin’ from here on out, okay? You’re never leaving my sight until you’re 21. You’re grounded, young man. Givin’ an old man like me a heart attack these past few months…” He shook his head as he clambered in the car, buckling himself in before he starred it up.

“That’s fair…” Ethan said as a reply, sniffling as he wiped his eyes, sinking into the worn-down car seats. “Dad, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen but they grabbed me and I tried to fight but they caught me and they had me pinned and one of them clearly wasn’t stable and it hurt, it hurt so badly, and nobody came to find me. And then I found myself in this realm and it was all black, and there was this guy and he was next to some lady and they opened a window and- and I could _see_ you and I was told I could protect you and…and I couldn’t let you die…”

“Hey,” Tony said as he followed Becky’s car through the roads, which were unusually empty today. “You’re back, son, and it’s all I ask for. You’re gonna be safe, and I’m gonna get you back to Lex. She came to see me t’day, ya know? And I can see why she chose you, kiddo. She’s a beautiful soul inside and out.”

“You’re actin’ like I ain’t known that since elementary.” Ethan finished his sentence with a laugh, one that seemed to free any tension from his shoulders, as he began to smile. “I love you so much, dad. I know I ain’t the kid you wanted, and I know I probably caused ya a fuck ton of stress when I was born but-“

“But there was no way in hell anyone could convince me t’give you up, ya realise?” He asked and glanced back over to him once again. “I felt the strongest urge to protect you as soon as the nurse placed you in my arm. You were round faced, red, and screaming, and yet I found it in me to love the loud bundle of blankets in my arm.” He heard Ethan laugh slightly at that again. “And I treasure every minute I get to spend with you. You’re my boy.”

“Not a boy,” Ethan reminded, wiping his eyes again, except that time, he wasn’t upset. He was smiling, and it was starting to show.

“I’ve been practisin’ while you’ve been gone, no worries E.” Tony smiled as Becky pulled up to a school like building and parked, so Tony parked beside her. “No matter who you turn out to be, whether you get surgeries to adjust your appearance or whatever, whether you start wearing crop tops and skirts, you’ll always be my kid. Nothing can change that.” He unbuckled and placed his hand on Ethan’s shoulder. He unbuckled him for him before smiling. He removed the cap from his head before putting it on top of Ethan’s curls, ruffling the area. “The magic cap returns.”

Ethan laughed again, slightly bolder than the first time, as he was lifted into his father’s arms. He was probably too tall to be carried like a baby, but he appreciated the moment. He appreciated his dad. “Imbued with the power of Greyskull, when it’s on my head, nothing can hurt me…” he recited, and Tony nodded.

“And you always said the rhyme was too embarrassing.”

“Course it was too embarassin’, dad. But it calmed Hannah Banana down and- oh, _shit,_ Hannah Banana!” He said and his eyes went wild. “I hope she’s okay!”

“Who’s Hannah again?” Tony asked as he followed Becky inside, since Tom had just parked, and he was now walking beside her.

“Lexi’s little sister…dad she’s the reason I want kids…” he admitted, a light blush washing over his face, but he could feel the flush, and he felt no more pain, just a pure glowing orb of gold where his heart should be that protruded from every single one of his pores. No more pain, no more terror, just him, his dad, and the Foster’s. That’s how it should have been to begin with.

“Well, if you really want kids, I say you should go for it. You’re one of the most caring souls I’ve ever experienced being around.”

“The homelessness for four years of my life adds to the fact I _had_ to be caring because-“

“You’d have been a caring kid either way,” Tony said and kissed Ethan’s forehead as they walked. He really missed his son, probably more than he realised. He looked to Becky, and then to Tom, and their hands were almost entwined with each other, both lost in each other’s presence. Tony tried to hear what kind of conversation they were having but was unable to do so. Still, he followed them until Becky opened the door, and suddenly, Tony entered the room in chaos.

He saw, to the left, a man in a trenchcoat politely shouting orders at some nurses, who continued to make beds. There had to be at least 13 in the room, with only 2 occupied so far. There were two people in uniform in the room. One looked uncannily like Ethan, and was lay on the bed, while a young girl with thick brown hair sat beside him. On the other occupied bed, there was another girl, but she wore a denim jacket and a striped shirt with jeans instead of a uniform. Ethan must have noticed, for the faintest whisper of a name left his lips. A whisper was somehow louder than the buzzing of machinery, and shouting of orders, for the trenchcoat man turned around and flashed a grin at the others.

“Good morning, my name is Micah Icacks, I am the younger relative of the man who founded this agency and under John McNamara’s rules, I’m in charge until he returns. I take it you’re Tony, so if you wanna lay him on that bed between Benny and Lex, then go ahead.”

Tony didn’t dare argue with the man, walking to the empty bed, laying Ethan in the middle of it. He took the cap of and stroked his hair, kissing it softly once again. With the knowledge of a new person, or a new _set_ of people in the room, the agent on the bed to the left of Tony flipped on to his side, rubbing his head, his eyes widening.

“Lou I’m fuckin’ dreamin’.”

“He’s back, Ben.”

“It’s gonna be awkward when he wakes up.”

“Get over yourself Benjamin!” The female voice spoke followed by the sound of him being slapped gently. “ _Just_ because the last time you two spoke was when he was in your bed-“

“Okay, I’d rather not be reminded, thank you, Louisiana! Wait is it still Hartford or McNamara-?” He asked, and the other voice laughed.

“Hartford until the papers go through.”

“Brilliant.” The man, Benny said, and Ethan furrowed his eyebrows, gently pushing Tony back so he could view Benny.

“Why are we talking about me?” He asked, his voice still slightly shaky, and it made Benny jump while Lou collapsed into a fit of laughter on the bed, falling on top of Benny.

“Hi, Ethan…” Benny said, pushing Lou off of him. “Stop it.” He told it to Lou as a warning, but she had a glint in her eye.

“Hi, Ethan! Welcome back! You’ve been missing since July! It’s now _January!”_

“It’s 2019?” Ethan asked, and Lou nodded, beaming.

“Yeah! And my _boss_ just adopted me!”

At that, John walked back in the room, followed by the other three members. “They’re all called up,” the deep voice said, before looking at the now occupied bed. “Ah. I see.” He nodded to Tony, who didn’t reply. “General John McNamara of the United States Military, head of the branch Paranormal Extra-terrestrial Interdimensional Phenomena otherwise known as P-E-I-P.” he popped the P and gestured behind Tony. “That’s my daughter, Louisiana. Beside me is Ex-Colonel Holloway, her boyfriend Douglas Keane and-“

“Hannah?” Ethan asked, as he turned his head, looking at the other people. The smaller girl grinned, and Ethan forced himself to sit up as the bundle of flannel and denim ran his way. He held his arms out to her as she launched herself into his arms. At the force, he lay back down anyway with a groan of protest, but he smiled, holding her close. “You been a good girl for Lexi?” He asked her, and he felt her nod against his chest.

“Missed you, Greeny…”

“And Greeny missed you too…” he smiled and looked at her. “I see you got a magic cap?”

She hummed and nodded, pointing at Duke and Holloway. “Miss and Mister give it to me.”

“Did ya thank them?”

“Thanked them lots and lots.”

“That’s my girl…” He smiled as his eyes flicked over to Lex. “My girl…”

“Waking up.” Hannah said and looked over to her sister, who, soon enough, did open her eyes, gasping for air. Duke was by her side in seconds as John walked past them, sitting beside Lou and Benny, just watching silently.

“Duke-“ Lex choked out, and Duke shushed her, holding her close again.

“You’re safe. We’re at PEIP, was it?” When she nodded, he nodded, still holding her close. “We’re here, darlin’. And so is-“

“Hi, Holloway.” Ethan said, and waved to Holloway, who waved back at him.

“Hi, Ethan.” She smiled and sat down beside Lex. “You wanna talk to him?”

Lex blinked as she processed what was going on, and she turned her head. Her eyes widened as she saw who was on the bed, and more importantly, the fact Tony was there confirmed it all. She smiled wide as tears continued to fall down her face. “Baby…”

Ethan threw on a grin and looked at her. “Couldn’t get rid of me for too long. We ain’t made it to Cali yet. I promise day, didn’t I? And I _never_ break a promise.”

Meanwhile, John sighed as he wrapped an arm around Lou’s shoulders, looking at Becky and Tom. “You two should take a seat, you know? And Tom? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah…” Tom said, sitting on the edge of one of the empty beds, before looking at him. “I just don’t think it’s normal for your dead wife to appear in the passenger seat of your car while you’re driving.” The room suddenly fell very silent as everyone turned to face him. Those who were crying still were, but eyes widened furtherly in shock. “What? I’m sure it’s just another flashback…”

John turned his head swiftly to Micah, who stood tall, shoulders back. “I want a call sent out to Paul and Emma Matthews telling them to get on shift right now.”

“Hang on! Emma’s babysittin’ Tim!” Tom argued, but Holloway held out a hand.

“Duke’ll look after your son. He’s great with kids, and Tim likes Hannah.” She looked back to John as a cold breeze ran through the room. “What’s going on?”

As the lights began to flicker in the med bay, John slowly rose, looking to the door as it suddenly slammed shut. It startled him enough for him to flinch, but he tried not to shut his eyes. Micah joined him at his side as well as John swallowed, hand lingering above his utility vest to grab the gun if need be. “They’re angry.”

“Who are?” Micah asked, and John sighed, but his answer was spoken for him.

“We are.”

As John looked back to the door, there was three bright glowing figures. One was covered in red light, a dark hole in the centre of her forehead. She wore a cape, and her hair was a platinum blonde which wasn’t like the rest of the glowing red that consumed her. The second was green, bright green at that. His hair was slicked back, and he wore a double collared denim jacket, and stood tall, arms folded against his chest. The third was bathed in blue, but John could tell he wasn’t like the others. He wore a blue suit, and his skin was darker than the others. He was familiar, all too familiar, and his breath hitched when he realised who the people standing before him were. The lights suddenly flickered to remaining on, and the figures were now covered in colour. The one in the blue suit, who was opaquer than he’d ever been, turned to the man in the middle.

“No, you two are angry, I’m pretty fucking happy to see my husband again.”

Another cold breeze swirled around the room and the lights began to flicker again. Both Ethan and Holloway tensed, seating themselves straighter, not taking their eyes off the figure. John knew this wasn’t going to end well. After all, it never did when The Black and White was involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAH JAY SAID ETHAN AND MCNAMANDER RIGHTS IN THIS CHAPTER HAHA also sometimes u hyperfixate on 35mm and write 3500-4000+ words every chapter!! what's the deal!!!
> 
> also not me waiting for a certain someone who's going to point out the fact john is calling lou his daughter now and that is somehow the most important thing that happened in this chapter/j (ly platonically)


	10. To Have Power Over You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wilbur cross is a bad boy (the villain duh), some people have an argument and there's quite a scene at the end. some people r gonna be mad @ me bcs they didn't confess their love for each other there and then but person b knows what he's doing. anyway:

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tws: absolutely none i don't think except linda bullet wound- i'm getting good at the no tws thing this time hey!!!

After hearing the truth that the gods, Linda and that pathetic excuse of a physicist kept saying, he’d stormed away, the determined figure of Jane Perkins following beside him. She definitely wasn’t ideal, but nobody in this realm was, including himself. He’d been destined to be the best colonel PEIP had ever seen, and he’d _proven_ that by heading into the portal. Yes, he had left John behind, but John had known it was going to happen. He didn’t do it by going into the portal with no notice at all. He told them at the meeting at the start of the day, and the team had been prepared.

It also wasn’t his fault he never got to meet Hannah. He hadn’t intended to cheat. The fights had been continuous, and he’d had enough of it. It wasn’t because of Holloway, it had never been because of Holloway, it had been because of him. He’d been looking for something that he couldn’t find in her but with Pamela, and with Jeanette, they’d been different, even if the husband had walked in on him that one time. They’d been different, they’d been the fire Holloway couldn’t light…but he never loved any of them.

It was unfortunate he impregnated Pamela. He couldn’t remember the night, so he had nothing to comment on for the main part. He only knew, from what Holloway kept telling Duke, that Hannah Foster was his biological daughter, and somehow, Wilbur still didn’t feel guilty. He felt no attachment to the young girl who he could see Ethan watch through the door, with a brightness in his eyes he’d never seen. He also didn’t feel it when Wiggly frightened the shit out of her on Black Friday. Usually, he’d have told him to tone it down, but he didn’t give a fuck. He stayed silent and walked away.

So he was stuck in The Black and White with his mentee’s husband, a woman who only wished to be adored, a woman who’d died in a wreck, and he _had_ been stuck with a reckless teen who’d wanted to get his girlfriend to California even though he barely had $20 to his name. On top of that, he had to take care of six eldritch gods and sixteen Sniggles. How was he supposed to take care of them? He hadn’t signed up to babysit eldritch beings and their henchmen. He’d signed up to be the best colonel PEIP would ever see. Yet, it all went down to Miss Holloway.

He had fallen in love with her. He couldn’t deny that. Maybe he wasn’t jealous of her talent, maybe he was…supportive, and maybe he wasn’t able to present it in the way she’d hoped which led to their endless fights. He stopped in his tracks, as did Jane, as he came to the realisation. He could have stopped them ending, he could have prevented the cheating, if he had been a supportive boyfriend. It was too late. She had a boyfriend, and he couldn’t excuse himself.

He was the villain in her story. He was the man who left everything behind for a chance at being the hero. He was the man who’d looked at her and flirted with her endlessly until she got sick and tired of it, grabbed his collar and pinned him against the wall. She’d kissed him, told him to meet her at the Lakeside Mall after school, and then kneed him in the dick. She’d sauntered away as if it were nothing, and while he was doubled over, he managed to smile still.

And he was the one to fuck it up. ‘ _Poor little Alby,’_ his parents had always said. ‘ _Destined for success but poisoned in the mind.’_ He hadn’t known what that meant. He’d been told it for the first time when he was six by his father, and then his mother caught on. He joined the military as son as he could to try and make his family proud, to be the son they’d always wanted and somehow that annoyed them more. The agents only saw the assholish gentleman who walked through the doors of HQ every morning to start his shift, but they didn’t see the tears on his pillow.

But it didn’t excuse his actions. He couldn’t blame him cheating on the insults his parents threw at him time, after time, after time. He had cheated, and he had a daughter he hadn’t had any contact with, and he screwed over the girl he fell in love with and left her behind without the courage to tell her goodbye. She’d have liked that. If he’d have sat her down on their couch and took her hands into his and explained it all to her, she’d have understood. She’d have let him go and it wouldn’t have hurt so much.

He hadn’t been the first person in there. When he’d gotten there, in that specific universe, the thin legs of the spider looking woman were clacking against what had been tiled floor. The realm had been so much lighter then. Instead of a dark black, it had been a light grey, not a white but close enough to it. The floor was black and white checkered tiles, and on that floor sat a man on his knees in a blue suit. Every tear he shed filed up the floor inch by inch with crystal clear water. Once he’d been there, the water became thicker and redder.

With every victim of his, or another victim that the gods claimed, more blood trickled down the walls. With the guilt and heaviness of trauma, pain and fear that was bought in with a soul of the next victim, the realm turned darker, and darker. When that soul was dragged in, blood, thicker than anything, dripped down and bonded with the tears of Xander’s to create what now filled the floor of The Black and White. It stuck, and it hurt, but it was a reminder of the travesty that kept people from friends, families and lovers. It kept him from Holloway.

He took a sharp breath and looked at Jane. “You, Perkins, are going to fucking find that Houston, and you are going to make sure they don’t reach their final destination. The more people in PEIP, the larger a danger it becomes to society, to Hatchetfield.” He scoffed and turned around, heading back to the table. “Goddamit, I _knew_ under Holloway’s mentorship John’d fuck up!” He kicked the blood, and it splashed some of his jacket, and as per usual, no stain was added to the ones that had been there already.

“And what’s _your_ plan, not that I suppose you have one, Wilbur?” Jane asked, following the leader of The Black and White. Wilbur had asserted his dominance as soon as he stepped foot in The Black and White even though Xander had been there first. Even with that in mind, Wilbur was the strongest man with a body, and he used that to his advantage. What she hadn’t expected was for him to turn around so fast and to stare at her instead.

“Me, Linda and Xander. I’m gettin’ them to PEIP. Once we’re there, Janey...we’re rainin’ fuckin’ hell.”

She squealed excitedly then before jumping, saluting to the colonel even though it was sloppy. “Godspeed to you, sir.” With that, she fizzed away once more, leaving Wilbur to rebuild his stance.

Anger. Pain. Trauma. They were all things that sparked the flames that enveloped his mind. If he couldn’t rest in peace, then nobody could.

* * *

John took a breath. He was…there wasn’t a word to describe the emotion he was feeling. His breathing sped up as he looked at Xander, as a headache grew in the back of his head. He winced and touched the area, Micah obviously noticing, for he gently held John’s shoulders and asked if he was okay. He shrugged him off. He didn’t want to cause a fuss, and there they were. Micah didn’t try again, but he could feel concern raising in the air. Someone said to get another bed prepared, and Micah nodded, slipping from John’s side to go and do the task.

The headache got stronger, but he kept his eyes focused on the three figures who’d once been shadows of light. He heard someone stand, and the creak of a chair get pushed under the bed, and he managed to glance to the side of him to see Holloway standing there. John felt slightly more at ease with his second mentor beside him. She knew what she was doing. She had a link to The Black and White, and she had a link to that man who stood as the leader of the pack.

There was the sound of another bed shifting and Tony protesting, but there was a harsh shushing noise that came from the boy, Ethan Green, who stood on John’s left side. Suddenly, there was a team of three versus another team of three, and John had no idea what he was doing. John continued to look forward, his heart pounding, the headache worsening as there was a clap of thunder from outside the door, and the lights flickered off once again.

Red, green and blue filled the room once more, except this time, Wilbur, Linda and Xander weren’t alone. There was a green light from beside him that consumed Ethan, and his entire eye was a fluorescent green at that. John looked to the right of him to see Miss Holloway submerged in a pale blue light. John would say it was the same as Xander’s, but Xander was a dark blue. Then he looked for the red and realised it was him. He was the red.

He gasped out then and tried to fight the red as there was another clap of thunder, but Holloway’s hand was on his arm, grounding him. He was panicking. Whatever battle this was, he didn’t want to fight it. He couldn’t fight The Black and White. He wasn’t the strongest agent on the team, and the force needed their general anyway! He couldn’t lose everything again, especially not now he had Lou in his care.

Another clap of thunder sounded from outside, and John’s headache sharpened. He hissed out that time, and he felt Holloway tighten her grip on his arm. She always knew what to do. His breathing was heavy, and he was ten steps away from a panic attack. He needed to get out the light, needed to sleep in the dark, just something that would cure his ache for sure. He heard Holloway say something to the other three, but they didn’t reply, and neither did he. For the first time since losing Wilbur, he felt genuine fear overtake him.

He tried to settle his breathing as a hand moved to his mid-upper back, a second on his shoulder still. He was blinking back icy tears as he continued to force the red away. He didn’t want to be someone’s red, he wanted to be the general. He was trying to think about what his light meant, and he could tell it was going to be something to do with death; it was the most common connotation for the colour after all. He felt a tear fall down his face, but it had nothing to do with him being upset. Someone was overtaking his mind; he was sure of it.

His eyes were now blurring, and he was on the verge of passing out. More tears were beginning to fall as Holloway moved closer to him. There was a final clap of thunder from outside, and a horrific laugh that followed. The door and the walls began to rattle. The lights hadn’t come back on yet, and John was still panicking. He needed to get some of the weight off his chest. He grabbed his gun from his vest and shoved it in his pocket carelessly before slipping out of it. He dropped it to the floor and wiped his eyes as he managed to settle himself.

“John, whatever happens, _don’t_ fight it.” That was Holloway’s voice. He nodded, not wanting to disappoint her. He took another breath, but as the headache worsened once again, he grit his teeth, resisting the urge to scream, just as the lights flipped back on. His eyes widened at the sight of the room. Holloway’s voice continued to spiral around in his head, as tears dripped down from his eyes. He risked looking behind him as he wiped his eyes again, Holloway keeping her grip on him.

Everyone else had huddled behind them, and John felt close enough to vomiting. He wouldn’t, but he felt like he would. He thought they were even, three versus three, but not anymore. The medical ward was one of the largest rooms PEIP had, which is why it didn’t shock him that the amount of people in the room now were staggering. He hadn’t even considered the fact that the room could, at most, fit around 70 without the room becoming squished, but they drew the line at 80. Luckily, there were only about 30 at an estimate.

Besides the other three on the other side of the door were five people, but they didn’t look like people. One was a pale little thing with reddish hair in a pink dress, a black leather jacket hanging off of their shoulders. Their hair was short and thin, and they had a small tattoo of a heart on their forehead. Next to him was a very tall man, who wore a yellow suit with a long black tie. He had golden hair wore into a long braid that reached, what John could tell, his mid back. He had horns like a goat did, and a devilish smirk on his face. Directly behind Wilbur was his accomplice. He took the appearance of a young boy with slicked back, dark green hair. He wore a green waistcoat and a blazer very similar to what Wilbur was wearing. Beside him was a girl…or someone who appeared to be a girl. With a dark blue bob for hair and pale blue skin, their ballgown was the centrepiece as it shifted colours from blues to silvers to purples. She wore a mask over their face that appeared to be made of stone, and there was slime seeping from it. The final one was a man who looked too much like Xander for comfort. He wore a furry, purple suit, and under his arm, he cradled a helmet that was covered in the same purple fur but had one yellow eye. It blinked whenever the handler did.

Unfortunately for him, they weren’t the only people there. There was another woman sat beside Tom with soft brown hair and a red lipped smile. Nobody seemed to notice her yet. Nobody…except them. Holloway tightened her grip on John’s shoulders, keeping her voice low. “If they run, shoot. They have a physical form.”

“Who do?” He asked softly, and Ethan took over explaining then.

“All of ‘em. Wibblenephim, T’Noy Karaxis, Wiggog T’Wrath, Pokotho, Bliklotep, Wilbur Cross, Linda Monroe, Xander Lee and Jane Perkins but- but it ain’t their time yet, it ain’t their time…” he furrowed his eyebrows as he looked at the group and reached into his pocket, finding a second fingerless leather glove, pulling it on.

“Ya got somethin’ to say? Or are we gonna have to figure it out?” Wilbur finally spoke, ignoring Xander’s quip from minutes ago. Another breeze blew through the room as his twisted smile widened. “I never said you could leave.” That point was more directed to Ethan, who’s eyes brightened.

“Yeah! And ya wanna know what, Wilbur? I didn’t fuckin’ follow your rules in there anyway! I tried to get out for _so long_ ya know! I was sick an’ tired of seein’ Lexi and Hannah and my dad and not even bein able to touch ‘em! Dammit, at least _Xander_ could fade in and out!”

“So, we’re mad at me now. Great.” Xander said and sighed, looking towards Ethan that time.

“No! No no no no _no!_ Oh my God, holy shit, I could never-“ Ethan tried, but Linda spoke that time.

“Does it matter? Does it?” She asked and raised an eyebrow, blood running down the centre of her forehead like it was water. “At the end of the day…he’s stuck with us. And you…you little brat. You escaped.”

“Hey, don’t talk about my son that way!” Tony said and stood up, but Ethan put a hand out behind him as a warning.

“Dad, not now. I got this,” he reassured, before cracking his knuckles. He turned back to Linda and smiled. “Sure, I escaped. But you wanna know who else escaped.”

“Teddy did!” Tinky spoke from behind his master. “Teddy-Bear escaped Tinky’s Toy Box and so did Jenny! And you escaped from The Black and White, Ethan! The dead stays dead!”

“It’s just the rule,” the blue one, Astraia, spoke. “But ya know who escaped death?” She gestured to Xander in front of her. “And he could have been America’s greatest weapon, the world’s even! And ya wanna know who he chose over world domination?” In sync, the entire group aside from Xander rose a finger and pointed it directly at John.

“He was burdened by love. He became blind sighted by something so, so sickening that it destroyed him. All those love letters to him that were never sent, all those confessions you whispered on the edge of your breath never to be told, and it affected this son of a bitch massively!” Wilbur said, referring to John.

“Oh, shut the fuck up, Will!” Holloway snapped, her eyes a dangerous blue, and Wilbur looked at him. “As _if_ you didn’t run through training while flirting with me nonstop, and when I gave you a chance, you threw it away! Not once, but twice, and you got the girl _pregnant!”_ She hissed, and John edged back, unable to look at them.

“So, it’s my fault?” Wilbur asked, crossing his arms across his chest, and Holloway nodded.

“And you know it. You left John behind after _everything_ he went through. He didn’t want to take the general status! He wanted to do what he wanted! And there he was, barely in his 20s, leading an entire military branch with his first father figure dead, and his mentor in a portal!”

“We’re incredibly lucky to have him,” Blinky said as the yellow eye widened.

“Every one of our friendy-wends who come and pway _never_ get forgotten, Howwoway!” Wiggly spoke, and Wilbur smirked.

“You really think it’s as simple as a guilt trip, darlin’, don’t ya.”

“Don’t call her that.” Duke spoke, and Holloway rolled her eyes that time.

“I take it that’s the new lover. Congratulations. I believe I made you unlovable after-“

“Will you _SHUT UP!”_ Someone shouted, and there came a happy chirp from the bed Ethan had been lying on before. John turned and looked behind him to see a tall lady, who’s skin was currently pale, and had long white hair. She also wore a ballgown, but her sleeves were off the shoulder, and the details resembled webs. “There is _no need_ for this!”

“And why not? We’re just reclaiming what’s ours, Web!” Tinky said, and she rolled her many, many eyes.

“God, I hate having brothers.” She sighed and looked to Holloway, Hannah and Ethan. “If I get BL-U3 out of the equation, do ya think we can manage this ourselves?”

Hannah nodded eagerly and stood up, running to Webby’s side, adjusting her flannel on her shoulders and her magic hat on her head. Holloway nodded as well, but Ethan was a little unsure. Eventually, he shook himself off.

Holloway then turned to John and took the gun from his pocket. “Lou’s gonna be okay. They want you.”

“Me? Why?” He asked shocked, but Holloway shook her head.

“There’s no time. When he grabs you, go. You trust him.”

“Who?” John asked, but before he knew it, there was a blinding flash of light, and the room was filled with white. The next thing he knew, someone had his arm, and he was brushing past people. He was running, and the other person had a tight grip on his hand. John realised then he forgot to exhale a breath he’d been holding, so he did, and allowed himself to be pulled into a room. He heard the sound of a door locking, and John’s legs finally gave way. He opened his eyes and looked around where he was to familiarise himself. His office. He was in his office. He sighed a sigh of relief as another tear fell down his face, and he felt it be brushed away.

“Shhh you’re okay. You’re okay for now, shh…” the person said. John opened his eyes and turned to see Xander Lee, in a blue suit, and he looked…so, so beautiful. He felt conflicted. Did he punch him for putting him through years of confusion of trying to find him, or did he hug him there and then? Xander, who’d been cupping John’s cheek, continued to try and calm him, brushing the tears away continuously. “It’s me.”

“Xander-“ he choked. “From high school?”

“The very same.” He was tempted to brush his hands through John’s hair, to hold him close, but he couldn’t. In this dimension, they weren’t marriage. He would, in that very moment, give everything up to kiss him again. He’d been waiting for it for so long, and he couldn’t.

“Where were you?” John’s voice cracked, defeated. “When I needed you the most, you weren’t there. People started forgetting who you were, all our photos we took in high school, they were gone. You weren’t in them. I asked around and at first, people made it a joke, but I almost got sent to a mental hospital out of concern by my teachers!”

“I know, I know and I’m sorry…” he said and looked at him. “And I wish I could stay but I _can’t,_ and it pains me so badly because-“

“Because you have to go…”

Xander licked his lips but nodded slowly. “It isn’t my time to be back yet. But once it is…I’m raining hell upon those who dared to wrong you. Though, I must warn you. The headache won’t be pretty when it happens.”

“The headaches I keep getting aren’t spontaneous then?” He asked him, and Xander shook his head.

“It’s a new piece of information being fed through to you from The Black and White. Look, I don’t have long, and I do have a pretty important message to tell you before I’m dragged back to hell.”

“It’s that bad?”

Xander laughed then and looked at John, still wiping his tears. “You have no idea.” He took a breath. “I was the one to send those files to your computer. I was hoping with the knowledge Ted was who he was that it’d halt the oncoming apocalypse but-“

“ _What?!”_ He exclaimed, but Xander shook his head.

“Listen to me. Listen to me so, so closely, John. There are five obstacles you need to overcome. I don’t know if they’ll link together, but I know that they’re hiding, and they’re out for blood.”

“Who are? Xander- you’re scaring me!”

“I know. I know. I’ve always known.” He looked back at John, who’s eyes were still frantic. “The Hatchetfield Ape-Man, Watcher World, the Time Bastard who stays Forever and Always, the incident with Jane and the Car, and the Witch In The Web. You’ve already defeated the Time Bastard…but there’ll be a final battle.” He cupped John’s cheek again. “With your team, you’ve got this. Up the stakes, rise to the challenge. You’re stronger than you think.” He placed a hand on John’s heart. “The power of the human heart will see you through safely to the end.”

John laughed then as he sniffed. “As if anyone loved me…” he said, and his voice was quiet.

Xander bit his lip and sighed softly. “I shouldn’t be showing you this…” he whispered, but he took a picture out from the pocket of his blazer. One from his and John’s wedding day back in dimension 3. Their first kiss as a married couple. He flipped it around to John and showed it to him. “The details are on the back, as well as a code that’ll enable to you to talk to me whenever you need me. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible, but I need to go.”

John took the picture and he saw the two familiar characters in the picture. Him and Xander at what appeared to be a wedding. _Their_ wedding. He listened to Xander and something overtook him. He could stay in contact with him without him actually being there. It was a dream come true. Stifling a sob, he leaned forward and held Xander close in his arms. He felt Xander tense momentarily before he leaned into the hug, holding John just as close. As John began to cry, Xander was rubbing his back, still shushing him gently. He searched for a heartbeat, but there wasn’t one there. He was so confused, but Xander was there, and he could hold him. “Just promise me one thing?”

“Anything.”

“Keep coming back to find me, won’t you?” He asked and looked up at Xander, who pulled away from the hug first.

“I’m getting better at staying. Soon, I’ll be back permanently.” He brushed John’s hair out of his eyes before glancing to the door. “Now get back to work, General McNamara. Lowery’s waiting for you out front. And remember, I’ll always be here. Just keep safe. Your time isn’t up yet.”

John nodded, a slight amount of hope filling him up as he stood, Xander helping him up. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too.” He looked at him. “There’s a message waiting for you on your computer by the way. Answer me as soon as you can. But I’ve gotta go, Webby needs help.” He saluted to John before opening the door and rushing out. John called for him, not wanting him to go yet, but when he looked out the door, only floating blue crystals were in his place. John took a breath and nodded. The fate of Hatchetfield rested on John’s shoulders, and it started with finding, and opening the door, to allow Sam Lowery back inside. He could only hope for himself that he’d do a good job of saving the island and saving the citizens within it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> jay said starve the fans of mcnamander content and then don't have them kiss on sight
> 
> so this entire chapter was 4444 words exactly,,, but clearly one outweighs the other-


	11. And You Know It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is formed, and John gets a second in command

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> john mcnamara is a massive simp anyways:
> 
> tw: seizure, getting knocked out, mild racism notices, mild notices of homophobia and kidnapping

Ted rolled off of Jenny and pulled the covers over his chest. He ran a hand through the little hair that he had as he turned to face the perfection that was Jenny. Jenny Wilkinson with the flaming red hair and the gorgeous eyes that Ted had always found himself getting lost in. Jenny Wilkinson and how beautiful her personality was, as well as her looks. Jenny Wilkinson and how she saw past Ted’s original nerdy persona and found a friend in him. If only he’d have acted quicker, then he wouldn’t have had to be so traumatised, He wouldn’t have to relive the feeling of being trapped inside an endless maze of gold, he wouldn’t have to feel so…so…lost.

But then he saw her, and her porcelain skin was covered in beads of sweat, but she didn’t look as if she’d just had an incredibly intimate moment with him. She was still sleek, and slim, and everything that made Jenny Wilkinson Jenny Wilkinson. She was fucking beautiful, and he felt like the luckiest man in the world. He _was_ the luckiest man in the world.

She turned on to her side and looked at him, smiling gently. She cupped his cheek and looked at him. “Spending 17 years with Andrew Kilgore…he was a stuck up, arrogant, wealthy man. He was clearly in love with me.” She leaned in close and lowered her voice to a whisper. “The only reason that I didn’t leave was because he bought me a shit ton of clothes, I would _not_ have been able to afford otherwise.” She leaned her head against his chest as he wrapped an arm around her. “I had no idea you were still alive. It never meant I stopped thinking about ya, Teddy. Ever. I’d always look at our photos together, I’d always remember the times we used to have and if only I just made that first move. If only…”

“Well, darlin’, I’m here now,” he said and kissed her forehead. “And I ain’t ever goin’ nowhere. I’m staying.”

“That sounds delightful,” she said, putting on a mocked British tone before moving out of his hold, changing back into her clothes before lying back down on the bed beside her. Simultaneously, Ted changed into the clothes he’d been wearing before, and he lay back down and wrapped is arm around Jenny.

“So, what does this make us?” He asked, and Jenny shrugged, her face twisting into a grin.

“I’d say fuck buddies,” she said as he nudged her.

“Nah, come on, I’m bein’ serious. If you wanna go back to Andy then you can, but Jen, I’ve been in love with you for longer than I can remember. Me not asking you out killed me, literally, and I don’t think I can risk going through that again, so just tell me straight up. Do you want me to be yours or not? I know I’m sleazy, but I changed because I thought _that_ was the kinda guy you were into. I thought if I changed back to be a sleaze like Kilgore then you’d find me and run back and-“

“Yes, Teddy, I’ll be yours.” She said softly and kissed him to shut up. “I want nothin’ more.”

Ted’s face brightened up into a smile as he kissed her back, before pulling away. “Then…I guess we’re together…” he laughed nervously and brushed his hair out of his face. The only other people he’d been with were Lucy, and that was when she’d been so delicate with teaching him the ways of humanity as _if_ he wasn’t already formally aware, and also Charlotte. Charlotte…she meant everything to him after Jenny. She was everything and more, but he got tired of waiting around for her to leave her asshole husband. He wanted her, he’d fallen in love with her, and she wasn’t listening to what he said. If she wasn’t moving on, then he was, and Jenny was the perfect person to settle down with. After all, he loved nobody more.

As he cuddled Jenny closer, and enabled her to burrow into him, the door to PEIP swung open. Ted groaned, expecting it to be a nurse coming back to check his vitals, but, unfortunately, it wasn’t. There stood his worst enemy decked out in black denim and a leather jacket. His long blonde hair was now slightly past his shoulders, and he wore blocky shades on his face to hide his stony blue eyes. Ted looked at him all the same, looking at him with the same amount of anger in his eyes that had always been there whenever he was around the policeman, or whenever the man’s name was even mentioned. “Samuel Lowery.”

“Theodore Spankoffski.” He said, his voice as bitter as it always had been, causing Ted to holler out laughing. “I don’t get payed enough for this.”

“A correction, you get paid _too_ much.” Ted said, and Jenny hollered alongside with him, which certainly stained Sam’s pride.

“Whatever…under strict orders from General Jonathan McNamara, William Woodworth, Charlotte Lowery and Paul and Emma Matthews are here to see you.” He stepped aside, and just as Charlotte was about to enter the room, he grabbed her wrist and whispered something into her ear, which dawned a look of fear upon her face. She gulped, and the smile faded, and then she walked into the room.

“Char, what’s he just said to you?” Ted asked at once, that same protective feeling over him, and Charlotte shook her head.

“Ted, it’s nothing, really…”

“What did he just say?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Because it never matters when I ask regarding your safety, does it?” He said, and Charlotte stopped dead in her tracks by his bedside.

“Ted, now isn’t the time-“ Bill tried, but Ted shook his head, sitting up, Jenny doing the same.

“Nuh-uh! Nuh-uh! Charlotte, the entire fuckin’ office knows about how much Sam hates you! After everything I did for ya when you came cryin’ at my doorstep when he threatened divorce, all the money I spent for ya and on ya to make sure you were happy, so I could finally see ya fuckin’ smile because I know what it’s like to lose someone you care so deeply about! I tried to comfort you Char, I tried to, and you denied me access every single time and went away and fucked your therapist!” She flinched as if he’d just pierced an icicle through her heart. “But I bet you didn’t know I knew about that as well…Look, I’m sorry if I was the man to ruin your marriage or whatever, but it didn’t mean I didn’t care about you. The one person who didn’t care about me was yourself.”

The room fell silent, and only then did Ted realise Sam was still standing at the door, and instead of a look of shock that held him, it was anger. “You little slut.”

“What?” Charlotte whimpered and turned to face her husband as he stormed in the room.

“You little fucking slut! Going off and fucking our therapist, no wonder you always took so long in there with him!”

“I didn’t! Sammy, I didn’t, I swear!” She said, backing up slightly as he continued to approach her.

“So you’re a liar as well, huh?! How many other men have you fucked hey?!”

“I know I did bad, and I know I commit a sin, but don’t pretend that you haven’t been seeing that barista from Beanies!” Charlotte fired back, which spiked Emma’s attention.

“Nora?!” She asked, exasperated, but Charlotte turned back to her and shook his head.

“No. Zoey. And you wanna know something? He didn’t just cheat on me with someone ten years younger, he gave her cocaine he stole from the stash at his work.”

“You are so fucking fired…” Ted said before sniggering under his breath as the scene unfolded.

“So, you can tell me not to pull any funny stuff when I can tell you to do the exact same, can’t I? You don’t love me, and it’s why I cheated because I want to please you, I want to love you and I do because you’re my husband! I have been nothing but an amazing wife to you and I only started having my affair when I found out about yours! No, it doesn’t make it right, but I never cheated on you when you loved me!”

“Surprise, surprise, Char! I never did!” Sam spat, and the heartbreak in her face was imminent. “I married you for the money! My _God_ you’ve always been so annoying, and needy, and _everything!_ You’re so-so- _difficult!”_

As soon as the words slipped from Sam’s mouth, a loud bang sounded from the room, and Sam gripped the back of his leg, crumpling to the floor, hissing, a string of curses flying into the air. Behind him stood the tall, brunette figure of Paul Matthews, a smoking gun in his right hand, a radio in his left. “Icacks, may we get the shittiest room for the shittiest person on earth who I’ve just shot in the leg?”

_“And the reasoning behind it is?”_

“He’s a cop and abused his wife, admitting to adultery and also how he never loved her in front of me, Em, Spankoffski, whatever girl is _with_ Spankoffski, and Woodward.”

_“Say no more. I’ll get an agent to collect him in seconds. Apply pressure to the bleeding. If he’s a cop, he can take that amount of pain, right?”_

Paul glanced to the writhing man on the floor, tears streaming down his face, his teeth grit. “You’d have thought so, wouldn’t you?” He sighed and clicked the button once more. “Matthews out.” He remained stood behind Sam until one of the agents, Louisiana, got Sam into a wheelchair and pushed him back to the medical bay. He turned back to the others, to see Bill with his arms around Charlotte, comforting her, Emma in pure shock, and Ted pale-faced, the red-haired woman rubbing his arm.

“Teddy?” Jenny asked him softly, noticing how pale he’d become. “Teddy, what’s wrong?”

“It-it’s nothing…” he said and took a deep breath. “Guys, this is Jenny, my girlfriend. Jen, this is-these are my coworkers Bill and Charlotte, and that’s Paul and his wife Emma and…” his voice was significantly quieter.

“Talk to me, what’s wrong?” Jenny tried again, as Ted’s eyes clouded over. “Ted-Theodore! Come on, it isn’t funny!” She shook his shoulders, which caused him to fall back, and her eyes widened. “What’s going on with him?!”

Soon, everyone’s eyes were on Ted. His condition escalated drastically in a space of a few seconds. He went from lying still with his eyes clouded over, to his eyes twitching, his irises turning from hazel to a bright yellow. He twitched, and he then started to convulse, his entire body thrashing. Paul looked over to him and gulped hard. He turned his back on the scene and clicked on his radio. “Icacks, are you there?”

_“Loud and clear, Matthews. What’s up?”_

“Theodore Spankoffski code #2, appears to be having a seizure.”

_“Do you require assistance of a superior PEIP member, or does he need immediate medical assistance?”_

“I suggest having General McNamara meet me in medbay... Something’s going on with him, and whatever is happening isn’t human.”

_“And symptoms?”_

“Convulsions, flashing yellow irises-“

 _“Shit!”_ Micah’s voice came from the other line, followed by shouting behind him to someone else and typing on the keyboard. “ _General McNamara’s coming up to see you. Get Spankoffski down to medical ASAP as well as Ms Lowery and Ms Kilgore nee Wilkinson.”_

“Received.” Paul said and turned. “Jenny, Char, can you get Ted down to medbay?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think so. I think I remember where that is. I woke up there and they rang my ex-"

Paul pointed out the door as he hoisted Ted to his feet with assistance from Bill. “You’re gonna wanna go out of this door, turn left, go straight down to a corridor that reads ‘Hill,’ and then you’re gonna want to go straight down until the penultimate door on the left. Go through that corridor and at the end is the medical bay. Michael Icacks, direct relative to the original general of PEIP, Gareth Icacks, will be waiting for you there.” He passed Ted off to Jenny and to Charlotte, and Jenny nodded.

“Thank you, sir. Come on-“

“Charlotte. It-it’s Charlotte…”

“Come on then, Charlotte. He’s lighter than he looks,” Jenny said, and Charlotte nodded. Together, they left, taking a still spasming Ted to the medbay.

Paul then turned back to Bill and Emma, who were stood and raring to go. Emma tilted her head and approached Paul, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Babe? What’s your plan?” She asked and rubbed circles into his arm. Paul bit his lip as he came up with a plan in his head.

“Bill, I know you were here to see Ted like the rest of us, but right now, get back home to Alice, and spend as much time with her as you can. I don’t know how much time you may have left with her for this situation got ten times worse…do as much with her as you can. Trust me, it’ll be worth it. And Emma…”

“Don’t you fucking dare tell me to go and sit on the side-lines, Matthews.”

“I want you to go and station yourself in the A-X-N-Dr Laboratory. I’m gonna need you to be on standby. Cures are gonna need to be made. You think you can do it?”

“Of course I can. But what about you?” Emma asked, looking up into his eyes, as almost silently, a figure walked up behind them.

“Matthews shall be coming with me.”

Paul spun around to face his general, and his hand instantly raised in a salute. John, stone faced as usual, shook his head. “Matthews, dismissed. Paul, follow me.” The soldier spun around, his golden hair whipping behind him. Paul got one final look at his wife before she kissed him and sped off to the laboratory. Paul made the decision of following John through the winding halls of PEIP until they approached the office that held all of the secrets of PEIP within it.

Paul shut the door as he stepped inside and walked over to where John was beckoning him over. The lights were no longer the bright white that he was familiar to, but more of a greyish yellow, as disgusting as it sounded. John was sat down in his chair and was looking at a seemingly black screen. Written in white was a message, and Paul furrowed his eyebrows. “Sir?”

“Mr Matthews, do take a seat.” The general gestured to the empty chair beside him, so Paul willingly sat down in it, still confused as to what he was looking at.

“What...what does the message say?” He asked, and John took a breath, turning to face Paul.

“Paul, son,” he started, loading up an image of a web, coated in different colours, though the most vibrant were a blue, a red, a green, a purple, a pink, a yellow and an orange thread that wove itself around the outskirts of the white barrier. Paul placed his hand on the screen and looked at it, taking a breath. “Paul…each of these threads represents a person in Hatchetfield, and more importantly, their accomplice. Or, in simplicity, their soulmate. The higher up the thread to the outskirts of the web, the more important that one couple is to any universe they are present within.”

Paul’s attention was captured at once and he looked to the screen that John was zooming in on. “The purple one represents my second mentor, Miss Holloway, and her partner Duke Keane. That orange one? It represents Jenny Wilkinson and Theodore Spankoffski. That yellow one represents our Michael Icacks and his boyfriend Gary Goldstein. The pink represents your goddaughter, Alice Woodward, and her girlfriend Deborah Rutherford. The red string represents Lex and Ethan, and the green? The green represents you and Emma.”

Paul looked when he zoomed in on the web, and the number that came with it. ‘Universes present: 2,000,978,635,210.’ John fell quieter after that and turned his head to see John, his hand lingering above the blue thread.

“You said each thread represents someone and their soulmate and their importance in the universe. So, who’s the blue?”

“It-it isn’t necessary-“

“They’re _the_ most important people to exist…I think it does matter. Just a little bit.” Paul said gently, as he always did, and John’s cold demeanour broke. He zoomed in on the thread, and Paul looked at the box that flashed with it.

_Jonathan Myles McNamara & Alexander James Lee. _

_Married (illegally): May 19 th, 2002_

_Married (legally): September 23 rd, 2020_

_Truest of soulmates_

_Universes Present: all._

With it was an image, of what appeared to be John and an unfamiliar man at the alter of a wedding like scene. John was dressed in a suit, as was the other man, and John was leaned back, caught by the other man’s arms. John’s hair was longer and in a tight ponytail, and he was kissing the other man. Both were smiling, and there were faint tear tracks falling down both of their faces. Paul, processing the information that his general was one of the most important people in the universe, and not just any universe, but _every_ universe, it was stunning. “John?”

“That man…his name is Xander. I used to call him Zee…” a small smile formed on his face. “He was my best friend in high school. He was…my only friend, as a matter of fact. He was one of the only people of his kind in the school. Back then, it was a very strict place to be, and anyone who wasn’t confiding to society at the time would be shunned. And to be a black man…” he took a breath. “We met because he was getting pummelled against a wall by some assholes. And I was one of the strongest guys there, so we were eleven and we’d been there for about a month. He was in some of my classes, but I never spoke to him. So, I scared off the guys and this strong kid I’d seen in my classes, he was curled up and crying. I bandaged him up and we were inseparable.”

“So, what happened?” Paul asked, and John laughed, tears filling his eyes.

“It was our senior year. I’d been kicked out because my dad found out that I was gay, so I’d just moved in with my first mentor, Wilbur Cross. And it was getting to prom, and I probably wasn’t going to go, and I just went ‘fuck it, I’m gonna ask Xander.’ So the next day, I went into school, and Xander’s name wasn’t on the register. I started asking around at school if people had seen him and they looked at me like I was crazy. I reached into my bag for a photo of us and it literally disintegrated in my hands. I don’t think I’ve ever had a breakdown harder than there. I got sent home because I fell mute, and I didn’t speak again for…a good couple of months. Xander wanted to be a physicist, he wanted to be famous in science and he was gone. It was a few months before Ted went missing. I never forgot him, and yet, others did.”

“John, I’m so sorry…”

John shrugged and wiped his eyes, taking to staring at the ceiling. “It was the fact I fell in love with someone so dear to me and then he vanished…it hurt me more than anything. It still does…and then that whole thing with the entities of The Black and White coming forth into our world…the blue was Xander.”

 _“That_ was Xander?”

John nodded. “He pulled me aside, back in here, and he told me everything. Xander feeds information from The Black and White through to me on my computer, hence the information about Ted I received. He gave me that photo of us at our wedding, but I am not married.”

“I know, I know…” Paul said before looking to him. “So what does it mean?”

“He sent me a message, from the other realm.” He said and turned his monitor to face Paul.

Paul scrunched his face up and began to read it out. “John, my love, you need to be careful. Within the next week, you are going to experience some of the worst trials of your life. Hold your team close and drop your enemies; they’ll only hurt you more. You _will_ experience 5 apocalypses in one week- _what?!”_

“Just keep reading.”

“In one week? And all of those will involve a key member of PEIP. I can’t say too much but increase the beds in medbay. The Hatchetfield Ape-Man, Watcher World, Forever And Always/Time Bastard, Jane’s a Car and The Witch In The Web _will_ be your downfall if not dealt with appropriately. I can only wish you luck. I can give you one tip. Each story, each level involves, or involved, a member of the Hatchetfield Six. All I will be saying is Ape-Man is easiest, and Witch In The Web is the hardest. Always keep your firearm on you, and double check everything. I love you, and I’ll see you soon. Yours, Lieutenant Xander Lee.” He looked a John, who was dabbing at his eyes with a tissue.

“He sent clues. Five images. The first was of an ape-like figure carrying away a girl with wavy brunette hair, and there were the distinct tracks of blood in what appears to be the Hatchetfield Witchwood, Henry Hidgens’ manor in the background.”

“As in Emma’s Hidgens?”

John nodded and continued to speak. “The next image was of a maze of glass, and there was a young lady wearing a purple shirt with a yellow eye on it that said _I survived the Eye-Drop and all I got was this lousy t-shirt_ with long platinum blonde hair and shorts, holding a rifle, a vision of another man wearing a purple hat with a yellow eye in the centre of it wielding a mallet, the vision of a mascot in the mirror behind the girl with purple fur. The third was of a girl with a long braid, and a man, hands clasped, but covered in blood. In the front of the image is a dead body. Their hands are covered in blood. The fourth is of the interior of a car, with red flannel and a parker coat in the passenger seat. It appears to be in or around Tony Green’s body shop. The fifth photo was very dark. It looked to be The Starlight Theatre with green particles making out to be a silhouette, and there is a young girl wearing red flannel, and a woman with a denim jacket on besides her. The scary thing about that photo is…” he zoomed in on the photo and just outside the wings was a body, whose neck appeared twisted, blonde hair stained red covering his face.

“Is that you, sir?” Paul asked, and John took a sharp breath before nodding.

“I believe so. I believe that I will not be making it to the end of this week. Or in a week.”

Paul’s eyes widened and he looked at John. “So, what does this mean for PEIP?”

“It means…that someone needs to be my second in command until I know for definite what’s happening, and in the event that the image is true. It would also be nice to have a second in command in the event I do survive as well, but if I die, someone needs to run the precinct.” He held a handout to Paul. “Mr Matthews, we have history, as you are aware, and for that reason, I believe we are compatible as a workforce. For that reason, I am offering you a promotion to be my second in command. So, what do you say?”

Paul’s heart thumped in his chest as he listened to John’s offer. Taking over PEIP would be a lot of responsibility if John died. “This won’t be permanent, will it?”

John shook his head, to Paul’s relief. “I’m aiming to get Xander back, and I know him better than anyone. Then he’ll take your place.”

“Okay. I’ll do the job, on one condition.”

“What will that be?”

“If Emma can be my second in command if you die.”

“Then the deals done.”

Paul took his hand and shook it firmly as they looked back to each other, blue eyes clashing with the other’s.

“Let the mission begin.”

Paul offered a nod as the door opened and Colonel Schaffer stepped through. “General McNamara? Matthews? There have been reports of a Duchess Lucy Stockworth just touching down in Hatchetfield, with Henry Hidgens requesting to pick her up.”

“Okay?”

“Oh, and Henry Hidgens broke into the precinct, knocked Jenny and Charlotte out and kidnapped Ted.”

John’s eyes widened as he looked to Paul. The mission had already begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL things are going down lets go lucy stockworth


	12. He's The Ape....Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mr henry hidgens goes a tiny bit batshit. and ted gets kidnapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways: 
> 
> TWS: guns and shooting. people do get shot. but nobody dies. yet. or do they! discover here

The jealousy was imminent between the man who called himself a professor and the little lady he mentored. Mentored? It wasn’t as if he had a choice. It was awfully convenient on his behalf that he was an incredible actor, as confirmed by his wonderous husband. He was able to hide his true feelings towards the young lady behind a mask. They called him crazy, they called him kooky, they called him reclusive. They’d soon be sorry.

He told his significant other he’d be working later hours for the majority of the week to ensure his students got the highest grades they were possible of achieving. His lies were undetectable. He situated himself in his laboratory at the community college and locked the door. He dimmed the lights and switched on the lamp that remained on his desk. He didn’t log on to the laptop, for suspicions would be raised and he’d be left fired. He needed the money, and now, the fortune was falling directly into his open palms.

He rolled out the tube of parchment he’d carried around with him and pinned it down on the desk using paperweights. He got to work, sketching out his plan. All the inputs in and off of the island, from the hospital downtown to beanies, from the high schools to The Lakeside Mall. He calculated it’d take him 45 minutes to get from his house, to the airport in Clivesdale, and back. As soon as the duchess took her annual trip into Hatchetfield, the fortune would be his. All his.

He mapped out the route. While Chad would be working, he’d slip out the house early on in the morning as her plane was set to leave and pick her up and claim he had the Ape-man in his house. The question was, who’d be willing to do something so insane, and then the thought dawned on him. Theodore Spankoffski, a man so heartbroken, so fooled, by his lover and the girl he was still grieving. The man who needed to move on and couldn’t because of the fact the girl he was now in love with wouldn’t move on herself. How…sad.

Then the day came. Duchess Lucy Stockworth’s plane was due to take off the following day, so when Chad kissed him goodbye that morning and he faked writing a report, he had a smirk on his face that didn’t fade. Half an hour after Chad went to work and he was in his Rolls Royce, heading over to PEIP HQ, somewhere he once worked. The truth had been he never worked in business. He’d always been so invested in musical theatre, but while he got the chance, he worked in the science sector of PEIP. Some of his friends worked in the field, some worked as a field agent. Chadwick Carter, his boyfriend who he had to keep hidden from the other five in their friend group, was a field agent, and he was the best fucking colonel PEIP had seen at the time. He never stepped down. But just because he didn’t step down didn’t mean the others didn’t. Chad and he remained in the precinct for so, so long but the others fled the nest. Stu went and worked with his family, Greg went to pursue a career in sport, Mark and Steve ended up working at CCRP Tech, but only god knows what happened to Leighton.

Chad had gone to the store to get something for his aunt’s birthday or some other bullshit he hadn’t bothered paying attention to because he couldn’t care less, and it was the honest truth. It didn’t take much for him to get into PEIP; whoever the general was now clearly hadn’t changed the passcode for it was the same as the one it had been all those years ago. The layout hadn’t changed too much either, which made his job easier. It was his luck he saw a Miss Jenny Wilkinson and a Mrs Charlotte Lowery dragging the person he wanted down the corridor. They stopped and asked if he was okay, but he shrugged. As far as he was concerned, Miss Wilkinson was dead, which means the plan was already roaring in action. He grabbed a relatively large gun he’d hidden in the seams of his blazer, and with the back end of it, knocked them both clean out. He took Ted into his own hands, carrying him out the precinct bridal style as it was the easiest way, and threw him in the back of the Rolls Royce. He knew exactly how his plan was going to unfold, and it was already working.

He knew he’d been caught when Chad received a message on his phone from the colonel of the precinct at the time that following evening demanding a search of the home. Ted was drugged and hidden in the greenhouse, so he had no problems with not getting caught with the man in his greenhouse. He checked the clock, and the time struck. Chad already knew about his boyfriend’s plan, so let Henry leave unattended. A bad move on his behalf. A very bad move.

* * *

Duchess Lucy Stockworth sat in the back of the private car that would be taking her from the Hatchetfield Witchwoods. It was raining, and her drive, Rupert, was trying to talk to her, but she wasn’t feeling very chatty herself. The reason being was she blew her fortune on coming to Hatchetfield year by year in hopes of finding her saviour once more. This year appeared to be the last, for the money she needed to continue living was blown up on hope. Hope that faded all too quickly when she lifted up the skirt to her dress and trudged back through the drying mudded floor of the woods. And then, by some stroke of luck, as she was about to get on the plane, a black Rolls Royce pulled up beside them and the window rolled down. The elderly man shouted to her, and she looked over. He had white hair that glowed silver and had a black turtleneck on. It had to be a sign.

“Miss Stockworth, you may believe that Hatchetfield is done with you, but I am here to assure you that it isn’t, and not by a long shot.” He climbed out of the car, a brown blazer thrown over his shoulder, an umbrella grasped firmly in his hand. Logically, she asked for his name, and he laughed. She turned to Rupert, a feeling of unease settling into her stomach, before he spoke again. “My name is Professor Henry Hidgens, and if you’ll indulge me and accompany me back to my home and laboratory on the edge of town, I assure you there is something waiting for you that’ll blow your socks clean off!” He finished his sentence with a grin. After some brief negotiating between Rupert and the professor, she found herself with her luggage in the back, Rupert sat beside her, in the back of the Rolls-Royce, a showtune quietly playing as they drove back through the Witchwood.

Upon reaching the exit, her breath was quite literally stolen as she looked at the gothic manor before her, and just from the exterior, she could tell that just from the stained-glass windows, this man meant business. The professor called to someone named ‘Alexa’ and the gates swung open. Hidgens beckoned for the two to follow, and Rupert, carrying Lucy’s suitcase, followed shortly behind her. They trudged up the gravelled path that led up to the manor, and as the professor reached the grand, black doors, they opened. There stood another man at the door with hollowed cheeks and bright, teal eyes. His reddish-brown hair glistened with water droplets as he poked his head out from behind the door. The two men spoke something unintelligible to each other before the doors were opened, and Hidgens welcomed them inside.

Rupert dropped the suitcase off by the coat rack as Hidgens threw his blazer up on to it. “Miss Stockworth, Rupert, I would like to introduce you to my-“

“His associate, Colonel Chadwick Carter,” Chad said quickly, saving the day. They weren’t supposed to be out to anyone. Sure, they had an adopted son- well, _he_ had an adopted son who looked up to Henry as a second father, but it wasn’t like they were a flashy couple. They understood that 2019 was a different time era, but they were still stuck in the 60s. “It is an honour to have you staying here.”

“The honour is mine,” Lucy said politely before slipping her gloves off, handing them to Rupert. 

“Enough with the chit-chat. Chad, please escort Rupert to his room. Miss Stockworth, follow me.”

“Oh, Hidge? Ollie’s out, by the way.” Chad said, and there was a grin threatening to form on his face. In return, Hidgens flipped him off, and Lucy decided not to ask further questions.

“So, you say you’re a professor. What exactly do you study? What do you work on?” She asked as they approached a different, and lighter, area of the house with black and white checkered tiles instead of the usual black carpet she’d been treading on before.

“Ah, well, I’m a biologist. I study the indigenous fauna of these woods. Nighthawks, Timberwolves, and the bears, even. I lay down animal-friendly traps to capture the beast, to ensure I can study them in detail without harming them, but what I managed to capture in one of my taps just yesterday…he was no bear. He was shaved, mainly, which gave me the better chance to treat an open wound he had, and while I was, I found something that defies our current scientific understanding. A lost hominid species, one so uncommon that it _is_ the missing link between homo erectus and homo sapien. But Miss Stockworth…do you think you can tell me who…this looks like to you?” He unlocked the door to the greenhouse, where Ted was stumbling around, slightly dazed. However, the cranking of the mechanics behind that door seemed to catch his attention, and Theodore Spankoffski turned and looked at the two, and the colour drained more from his face.

“Y-“ he tried to say, but his entire face felt heavy and dry.

“Woolly-Foot?” Lucy asked, and Hidgens offered a polite smile, gesturing inside the room for her to take a step in. She did so, lifting up her skirt, approaching the figure before her, and her eyes brightened with a wide smile. “My goodness, he _does_ look like a man!” She grinned, and she knew that everything she’d worked so hard for was beneath her fingernails now.

“Indeed, you are correct. And though he lacks his thick black fur that once coated his form, it is…The Ape Man, or I believe it to be. Now, for me to be completely sure, I need to go and get some equipment. Stay here.” In his rush, he forgot to lock the door, to Ted’s luck.

The dehydrated figure took a deep breath and looked at Lucy, not forgiving the tugging at his heartstrings he was experiencing as he looked at her. He swallowed the little saliva that pooled in his mouth and looked behind the tree stump. He hobbled over and changed himself back into the hospital gown PEIP had offered him beforehand. He then turned back to Lucy and shook his head. “Miss Stockworth, I can assure you I am _not_ the ape-man-“

“You can talk!” She said delighted, gasping, her hands clasping over her mouth. “My-my goodness! Professor! He can talk! Profes-“

She tried to speak but found a hand tight over her mouth. “Lucy, you need to listen to me. I am _not_ the Ape-Man. My name is Theodore Spankoffski, I am 35 years old and I am human. I can’t say why I’m in a hospital gown but I gotta get back to where I was before. This is gonna sound crazy but-but I’ve lived this day before.” He pulled his hand off her mouth and looked at her. “He chased your fiancé, Brisby, down and shot him dead. Jonathan came looking for you. He killed him in the Witchwood- the best thing we can do is get you and Rupert back to Britain.”

“How did you know about my fiancé?” She asked, and Ted shook his head.

“I’m the Time Bastard, and I gotta get back to my girlfriend.” He went to walk out the door before turning on his heel, looking at her, offering finger guns in her direction. “Oh, and another thing. He tried to kill you too.”

“What?!” She said, probably too loudly, for Hidgens rounded the corner with a sharp look in his eyes. She wanted to ask Henry if it was true, but her wrist was gripped firmly, and she was being dragged behind a man in a hospital gown. As they ran, there were gunshots sounded in the distance that were progressively getting louder. She didn’t know what was going on, but her hope faded. She expected to be shot dead, and she braced herself for it as she shut her eyes, letting the man, Theodore, run her through the house. The gunshots became louder, and there was the sound of footsteps running down, as well as the clatter of a suitcase that followed.

Lucy opened her eyes and saw a man, decked fully in black denim and a bulletproof vest over his chest with a loaded gun on his shoulder. He aimed it directly at Hidgens as he rounded the corner and came to an abrupt stop. Ted wrapped his arms around Lucy in a protective manner as they watched the scene unfold. On the stairs, behind the man in uniform, was Rupert, who was sweating and pale.

“Take that ridiculous outfit off, Chadwick. You make it incredibly hard for me to take you seriously when you look like that.”

“I never retired. I take shifts. The only difference is I show up to them and _you_ don’t.” There was a bitterness in the man, Chad’s, tone. “You didn’t want the Duchess here to negotiate, did you?”

“Of _course_ I didn’t, darling! Imagine the news that would bring in! Henry Hidgens arranges business deal with British duchess, Lucy Stockworth?! The _shame_ that would be bought upon me!”

“So you wave a gun around and try to _kill her_?!” Chad shouted back at him, not moving, surprisingly keeping his body calm. “And you wonder why I find it so hard to love you sometimes!”

“You can talk!”

“As can you, Henry!” Chad said and stared him down. “I paid for you to get that diagnosis to help you get better, to salvage what we once had!”

“It’s been 40 years, leave it.” Henry hissed, but Chad shook his head.

“I can’t leave Ollie without the man who inspires him. He doesn’t know about this side of you.” He shook his head, and when Henry took another step towards Lucy, Chad stepped in front of her and Ted, guarding them. “Yet you wonder why I stick around, why I try to ignore the dangers people like us face. Because I love you, and I want nothing more than you to be Ollie’s father, but I can not keep my son around a psychopath.”

“Say that again.”

Chad didn’t speak, only staring him down with his teal eyes flaring up with anger. “I wondered why you seemed overly enthusiastic to take your meds lately. You haven’t. You’ve been throwing them away. You don’t care about me or my son! You only care about yourself and-“

A gunshot that hit the centre of Chad’s upper chest, knocking him backwards on to the floor, winding him. He instantly felt blood in his mouth, and he felt himself choking. He watched as the door swung open and Ted and Lucy made a break for it. With blurring vision, Chad watched as Hidgens turned and looked at Rupert, but his bullet was stopped for a few minutes after one lodged itself in his lower leg. After watching Rupert run from the house, Chad passed out, sending what could be a final SOS message to the precinct, hoping they’d pick it up. He felt the heaviness of a leather boot stand on his chest, stepping over him as if he were a stone. He felt like it at the minute. The cold was grabbing at him, and he couldn’t fight it. He couldn’t fight.

* * *

Without Ethan, Xander had to admit The Black and White was lonelier than he’d realised to begin with. Being trapped n there since 2004 had been bad enough, but in the short amount of time Ethan was in there with him, it made it all worth the while. So, without the loving, caring, optimistic teenager he’d found himself befriending, he often sat alone, pondering in his thoughts. He didn’t have the image of him and John on him anymore, but it went to the person who needed it most; the person who was running out of hope found their one reason to keep fighting. Xander now needed to find his.

If he wasn’t thinking up a storm alone, he was with Webby, discussing what was going to happen, and now, he had the full insight into what the others were planning. With each successful apocalypse passed, a member of the Hatchetfield 6 would materialise back on Earth. With the successfulness of surviving The Apotheosis, Pokotho was not able to participate in the final showdown, which led to the others taking charge. So far, Ethan and Ted were out. Black Friday was done, The Apotheosis was done and in the words of the brilliant Emma Perkins, ‘they were never going back.’

It didn’t mean that there wasn’t a conflict to face. Xander watched in every single dimension every outcome. In many, Lucy and Jonathan got out alive, but in mainly every single one, Ted died. Now Ted was alive, as was Lucy, and they’d escaped with Lucy’s personal escort, and they were heading to the plane that would take them back to Jonathan. They didn’t know Jonathan was in Hatchetfield. They wouldn’t know until they reached the end of the winding path that guided them through the thicket that hid them from the rest of the island.

He sat with Webby, peering down into the glass, watching as John worked and sighed, wondering if he’d ever reply to the message. He was hoping on his heart John would figure it out. Seeing John, being able to touch him for that split second was everything he’d needed and more. It lit his chest up a bright blue whenever he thought of brushing his fingers through his John’s golden locks or hearing how his laugh lit up the room. Even seeing him asleep was enough, with the distinct memory of how his breath felt against his neck. Everything about him was distinctive, and Xander could feel the remains of his husband’s touch on his fingers.

Even still, it was a peaceful day in The Black and White, and by peaceful, he meant none of the eldritch Gods had started clawing at each other’s throats. Mainly, it was Wiggly and Tinky arguing over who was the better, and bigger, God on the importance status level. That argument was pointless considering they already knew that the answer was Webby anyway. With Webby, nothing went wrong. She was Xander’s soul guardian and had no other purpose. She assisted the members of The Black and White who were sent to Earth for a reason with their tasks. Xander, she said, just got unlucky when he died, but he knew that wasn’t the case. Purposefully, she’d reached out to him, and he’d taken her hand. He’d set himself in there. Now he needed to pay for it.

He was watching John, basking in the peace, when there was suddenly a red boom of light from behind them, followed by an echoing message. A helpless plea from one of PEIP’s finest agents known to date, Chadwick Carter. It wasn’t an ordinary message. It was one that was seeking for assistance when he couldn’t muster up the courage to find it in himself. Webby stood up, the blood rolling off her pure white gown and held a hand out to Xander. She looked to her brothers, who were starting to gather around the table except for Blinky, who seemed to be nowhere in sight. Webby nodded and looked back to Xander, confirming her thoughts with a definite look in her eyes. “I know who to call.”

* * *

“Ah fucking shit, my side-“ Ted said and stopped running, holding on to a tree, his other hand clutching his side. “Ah shit. Shoulda asked ya if you had a phone.” He paused and looked at her. “ _Do_ you got a phone?”

“I do, but it’s highly unlikely there’ll be service out here. Rupert, can you check for me please?” Lucy asked and her butler took the device, scanning the area, before shaking his head and handing it back to her.

Ted ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the tree. “Dammit…” he cursed sharply under his breath. He didn’t want to be in the middle of the Witchwood again. He wanted to be with Jenny, _his_ Jenny…he hoped she was alright. He tried to focus on gathering strength for himself so they could continue to run, but his energy was drained. He wish he could say he’d been expecting the fact Hidgens would be hot on their tail, but he’d been so caught up in escaping, he hadn’t heard the revving of the engine until it was too late.

His pupils dilated in fear as he slowly turned his head over his shoulder, seeing the black shell of the car hurtling towards them, the face of a manic behind the windshield. Rupert screamed something out to Lucy, and he watched as the suitcase was dropped to the ground, the two managing to hoist themselves up on to a large, sturdy tree. Ted wasn’t so lucky. He stayed like a deer in headlights, bile in his throat, before his sensors kicked in, and he pulled himself up on to a branch, using the rest of his energy.

There, he leaned against the bark as he hid, hugging it tightly. He wondered if this was how he met his demise…again. He wondered if he’d ever be able to get home and see Jenny again, if he’d be able to redeem himself, or if he was stuck in a tree and he’d die that way. It wouldn’t be the weirdest way he’d gone out, he figured, for he’d seen and experienced much worse. Tinky’s Toy Box by far took the place for the worst kind of death he’d experienced. It was the shredding of a soul mixed with the emotional guilt he’d carried for too long. Now, he wouldn’t be able to redeem himself. He was dying in a hospital gown in the Witchwood.

The Rolls Royce pulled to a stop below the tree where the three were sitting, holding their breaths, and he was singing a nursery rhyme. Ted opened his eyes and looked down, watching him closely. His leg was being dragged behind him, very much injured, and he still had the gun. He knew they were up there. They were going to die, and it’d be the three of them that time. Lucy was going to die.

 _“London Bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Bridge is falling down, my fair lady.”_ Hidgens hummed before Ted caught a glimpse of the man’s eyes, frantic and wild with a taste for revenge. It happened so quickly, but the gun was placed back on his shoulder as a shot was fired at the branch Lucy was on, and she started hurtling, hurtling, hurtling. Ted flinched, gripping the bark of the tree tighter, but there came no thud of a body hitting the ground.

Ted opened his eyes and saw a figure, about 6’ tall, with thick black hair, sleek and shiny, lowering Lucy out of it’s grasp on to the floor of the Witchwood. He managed to catch a glimpse of the creature’s face. He had the same features of a man, but no man was that hairy. He looked down to Lucy, who was beaming wide, her features glowing. “The Ape Man…” he whispered in disbelief. Lucy was holding her phone out, snapping pictures, but nobody had expected what the creature would have done next.

Hidgens was a clear disbeliever of the myths of Hatchetfield, so to see the Ape-Man in front of him did scare him, and his eyes became wide from anger and revenge to softening down a few tones to mildly afraid. He dropped the gun, ignoring how his pant legs were now sticking to his lower thigh because of where he’d been shot, as the Ape Man came up close, _too_ close for comfort.

“Chumby hate materialistic bastard.” The Ape-Man said in broken English, and with a flash of fangs and clawed paw-like hands, Hidgens found his turtleneck slashed, and his chest bleeding. He was filled with a searing agony at once as he fell on to his back, but the creature, Chumby, picked Hidgens up and threw him at the tree. He fell unconscious, and Chumby confirmed this after sniffing him. He stood up and shrugged. “Will live.” He looked up to Ted and to Rupert and, without asking, plucked them from the branches, lowering them down to the floor. “I Chumby. You okay.” He made an attempt at a smile to Lucy before walking through the thicket, vanishing instantly.

Ted blinked, and if it weren’t for Lucy and Rupert, he may have said he’d been dreaming. The other notation as to how he wasn’t driving was the yellow AMC pacer puttering along through the trail beside him, and in the passenger seat was a teenaged girl with platinum blonde hair in a tank top who was occupied with her phone, and in the drivers seat was his colleague, Bill Woodward. He hoped they were getting home and not getting into trouble…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uH OH WATCHER WORLD UH OH
> 
> anyway bill and alice casually drove past hidgens' unconscious body while chad's bleeding out in the manor. Side note: this is a rupert stan account now.


	13. Blink Once, Blink Twice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bill Woodward and Alice Woodward take a harmless trip to Watcher-World. And then they meet the sniggles and it only goes a little bit downhill from there. Oh yeah, and Blinky gets very angry and some bad things happen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so before we start: Forever and Always spoilers ahead. 
> 
> tws: linda monroe, any in watcher world
> 
> out of context quote: get elsie a snoog 2020

After Paul told Bill to leave and spend as much time with his Alice as he could, he left the precinct and immediately started searching for ideas to do with his eighteen year old daughter, who, out of spite, dyed her hair platinum blonde. Bill couldn’t say he _loved_ it, because he loved how Alice was before and wished she didn’t have to change herself in order to fit in with society like she so desperately wanted, but there was also that one part of Bill that had started to accept the truth while the other parts lived in denial.

Alice was a growing girl. For crying out loud, she got a scholarship for college. She wasn’t the little girl Bill used to read to sleep every night, she wasn’t his little girl anymore. She would always be his girl, but there were other people in her life now. There were Sof and Danny, but also her girlfriend Deb who’d encouraged Alice to take her first joint, and all of a sudden, Deb was all Alice wanted to speak about. The little relationship they had fizzed away in seconds as soon as Alice said she had a girlfriend. He loved Alice, and he loved Alice for herself whether she was gay or not, but he just _didn’t like Deb._

Unknowingly, the day he decided on taking Alice to “Watcher World,” a _‘new and amazing theme park where you’ll always be safe; we’re always watching’_ the same day as Deb’s party. Still, Alice managed to put up with Bill as much as she could. He wished he didn’t have to say she had to put up with him all the time. He didn’t want to keep having to say that. It toyed with his gut instinct that he had failed her as a father, and he was trying desperately to get her back in his life. With Sylvia around, he was starting to remember what falling in love felt like, and now he was starting to see _why_ Alice chose Deb over him so often. He was finally understanding, and the brick wall still stood between them.

So, the day after Ted got kidnapped from PEIP, Bill found himself puttering along in his little yellow AMC pacer with Alice beside him. He sat himself in the driver’s seat, continuously heading north throughout the Witchwoods. At one point, he passed three people, a girl with wavy brunette hair, a gentleman who looked if he got one final mild spook he may drop dead, and someone who looked too much like Ted for comfort. There was also some sort of bear beside them, and he caught a glimpse of a silver haired man lay sprawled out on the floor. He tapped on the steering wheel, shrugging it off, talking to himself, not expecting Alice to answer. “How strange…”

“Hmm?” Alice asked and looked up from her phone towards her dad, her eyebrows knitted together in a semi-angered position.

Bill glanced over at her and then gestured out the window with his left hand. “The Witchwood is…full of weird things.”

“Yeah. Like an AMC Pacer that’s on the verge of breaking down.”

“Hey!” Bill said defensively and looked at Alice again. “ _Shelley_ is doing perfectly fine, thank you Alice.” He watched as, from the corner of his eyes, he saw a smile form on Alice’s face. He hadn’t made Alice smile in so…so long. It was such a good feeling, knowing he was doing something right. He settled back comfortably in his seat as he followed the directions to Watcher World.

“Ugh…” Alice broke the silence again and ran a hand through her hair. “I told Deb I was going to be going to Watcher World, and the next thing I know is two minutes before I’m out the door, she’s ‘spontaneously’ throwing a party at her grandmother’s lake house. The same one with the jet ski and the keg…” her voice quietened, and she swallowed a small lump in her throat. “Why would she _do_ that?”

Bill thought for a second before drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. “Maybe she’s just jealous of all the fun _we’re_ gonna have huh?” He looked back over and saw her eyes glistened over again. “Hey. It’s one party, you’ll catch the next one, right?”

“Deb’s going to Amsterdam on Monday and then she’s starting her course early in college. And then- then even then she’s gonna make new friends and-“

“Hey,” Bill said and parked the car in the parking lot, placing a hand on his daughter’s shoulder, smiling reassuringly. “Here’s hoping you’ll still be her _best_ friend.” It was enough for her to sniffle and to clear her throat before they both got out the car, heading under the opening gate which had an all-too realistic yellow fur-covered eyeball with a purple iris, whose pupil appeared to follow them in.

Bill and Alice didn’t agree on much together, but they could agree that the ticket-taker was _awfully_ creepy and borderline paedophilic. He tried to get two adult tickets, for Alice _was_ 18 now, but the ticket-taker insisted that they have a child ticket instead. Then he called Alice ‘princess’, and if Alice hadn’t dragged Bill away, blood would have been spat. He also said something about ‘Blinky having his eye on them’, whatever that meant. Once inside, they both noticed the unusually creepy amount of eyeball memorabilia. Bill had shaken his head and told Alice that he was going to go and get their flash passes, and she nodded.

She continued to look around and saw a sign that said no littering on a nearby fence. She placed a small square of gum in her mouth and noticed a camera in the eye that was painted on the signpost. ‘ _It’s just a security camera, Alice. Keep calm.’_ She took a breath and went to place the foiled packaging of the gum back in her pocket, accidentally dropping it. “Ah, shit!”

“Ooh! That’s a bad word!”

Alice spun around to see the cyclopean-looking costume of who appeared to be a Blinky mascot. The main body of the suit was coated in various shades of purple, ranging from the darkest shades to a lilac around the eye. The stomach was a vibrant pink, and his head consisted of a single yellow eyeball with a bright lilac eye, that shifted to blue depending on the light, Alice found.

“Jesus…sorry, B-Blinky?” Alice asked, taking in the figure before her, who’s eyelid blinked far too realistically for it to be mechanical. Weird…

Blinky moved from looking to Alice to the gum wrapped on the ground and pointed directly at it, the summer air becoming much cooler than before. “You made Bwinky cwy….” Then his eye flashed a bright red, but only for a split second. If she’d have blinked, she’d have certainly missed it. “Pick it up.”

“I-I was gonna but-“

“Pick it _UP!”_ Blinky repeated, his voice louder and more staticky the second time. Alice, flinching at the noise, bit her cheek and bent down to pick it up, when she heard a ‘nice view’ come from the mascot. She paused her movements. She forgot she was wearing short shorts. It was too hot to be wearing anything _other_ than a tank top, and usually she’d go with a skirt, but she’d left her only clean one at her mom’s place which sucked. The others were in the wash at home. She stood and looked at him.

“Look, just-just leave me alone, creep.”

“You don’t _wike Bwinky?”_ The mascot asked, and Alice shook her head, her own eyes going wide.

“No, I don’t.”

“You’ll be sorry.” He said almost instantly after, as if he knew the answer. He waved and said his own goodbyes before merging in with a group of passer-byers who took no notice of her, and when they’d passed, the mascot was absolutely nowhere in sight. She looked around for her dad and saw him striding across the park, with flash passes and some sort of merchandise.

“Alice!” He said, a smile on his face. “Look what I got us!” He pulled on one of the hats, and Alice stifled a laugh. They looked cheaply made, but in some sort of way, they were…kind of adorable. “I got another two, I got one for you and I got one for Deb, but I’m sure if Deb doesn’t want it, Sylvia _loves_ this kind of cryptid thing.”

“Does she?” Alice asked and looked at Bill. “You went from mom to someone who works on the top floor of CCRP who is _obsessed_ with eldritch gods? Is that what you’re saying?” She asked, taking one of her own, placing one on her head while Bill slid the other one in his bag. She took a leaflet from him and he stuttered.

“Well-“

“It’s a match made in heaven,” she said honestly and looked at him before glancing over the leaflet. “Oo! Dad! Can we-“ she laughed, which was mostly a wheeze. “Can we go and see “Blinky’s Watch Party: A Musical Extravaganza Through Drowsy Town” at 12? I _really_ want to criticise the writing of the script.” She turned to Bill, who had a warm smile on his face.

“Well, currently it’s 10, so it means we have time to go on some rides…?”

Alice giggled and nodded. “Alright. Let’s go on some rides.”

* * *

Blinky noticed Alice and her father enter the theme park, and he knew it was an excellent opportunity to step up to the plate, to prove his brothers wrong. He was _the_ all-seeing god. He knew the future, he knew the past, _he knew the truth_ and he was undermined by his two asshole brothers, the god of water and the seas and the god of time himself. There was also his older sister, who he wasn’t even going to _start_ on. But now, now he had an opportunity to prove himself.

After he merged into the crowd, he faded to The Black and White. He landed on his feet and removed the helmet he wore, letting it clatter to the ground, which drew the attention of the two prophets in the room. His denim clad master and the cape wearing accomplice. Blinky walked forward, his yellow eyes bright, his grin wide. “Wilby.”

“Bliklotep,” he said in return and looked at him. “What’s with the grin?”

“I scored a chance to save myself, Wilby! We’re going back to-“

“Don’t say it.”

“-Drowsy Town!” Blinky said and ignored the twang of upset that came with being shut down so regularly. He huffed, knowing if he explained the process behind it, he’d get assistance before. “Alice and Bill Woodward just touched down in my amusement park.”

“I’m sorry, amusement park?” Linda asked, and Blinky nodded.

“Cameras are _everywhere_ in amusement parks. It’s perfect for a god like _me._ I got my Sniggles all ready for a trip back home to Drowsy Town, and here’s the catch.” He leaned in closer to the two of them and smirked. “Alice’s girlfriend threw a party in hopes of impressing the person they used to like at her mother’s lake house. I can shut down communications from the mainland, but I need someone to seal the deal that Deb is cheating on Alice. I need a stage manager and a prophet…” He looked to Wilbur who rolled his eyes and pulled a hat out of his belt, placing it back on his forehead. With a green flash, he was wearing a red and white striped shirt, had a black false beard, and had a pipe in hand.

“This is the _last time.”_ He growled as he took Linda’s hand, and with another bright flash, while Blinky picked up his helmet, picking it back up. This was going to be one _hell_ of a show.

* * *

After spending a lot of time on as many rides as they possibly could, Alice found herself standing outside a makeshift train station with a black plaque above it, and in golden writing, it read _Drowsy Town._ Bill had immediately wanted to take a photo of her there, and for once, she had to admit, she wanted memories. She hadn’t got many pictures of herself and her dad together at _all_ and she wanted to change it, especially if her dad won the second court case and gained full custody of her. Living with her dad seemed like a dream and spending this time with him…it was better than anything she’d ever hoped for. After going on “The Eye-Drop,” she did get pretty soaked, so her dad had bought her a lilac shirt with one of the printed eyes on it. It read “ _I survived the Eye-Drop and all I got was this lousy T-Shirt.”_ She made some joke about how she thought the shirt was ‘lousy’ and it caught her dad off guard.

Now, she was posing in her Blinky-styled outfit in front of Drowsy Town Station. It got to the point where they both had multiple photos on their phone of each other doing silly poses, professional poses, but in that moment, she had memories on her phone, and ones he’d probably treasure forever. After the photo opportunities, they walked inside the theatre, which looked much like the Starlight Theatre, except the decorations were tones of purples, pinks and golds instead of the blues and blacks she was used to. It made her…comfortable in a way. She got notifications on her phone from her dad, and she looked at them. “Dad, remind me after the show and I’ll add you on Instagram.” She wanted to be proud of her heritage at most.

“Add? How do you do that?” He asked, staring down at the small purple icon on his screen, and Alice rolled her eyes.

“I’ll show you how to do it when we-“ her breath hitched in her throat as she saw photos of Ziggs at the party, close to Deb. She didn’t realise the party was an “up all night, drunk all day” kinda party, which meant she’d have to put up with seeing her girlfriend flirting with _the_ coolest person in school. She could feel Bill looking at her, but luckily for her, the lights went down. “Show’s starting…”

All eyes turned towards the stage, where a silhouette of a man with a crooked jaw and an equally crooked smile, holding an apple, with slicked back hair projected on to the curtains. A booming laugh filled the room that got louder, and louder, and louder…and then the curtain dropped, revealing a man with a flat cap, holding a pipe in one hand, a purple doll with a yellow eye in the other. He stopped chewing on the pipe and turned to the audience. “Why, _ahoy_ there boys, girls and everybody in between! I didn’t see ya there!” He smiled and gestured around him. “My name’s Uncle Wiley, and I run this place! I’m here to _welcome_ ya to Blinky’s Watch Party: A Musical Extravaganza through Drowsy Town! Now, before we meet Blinky, I got a few little secrets to tell ya from me and my friendy-wends.” He got closer to the edge of the stage as if he was telling a secret. “I gotta ask ya keep all phones on silent, and refrain from flash photography! We wouldn’t wanna hurt anyone’s eyes and disrupt the show now, would we?” He winked and looked at Alice directly before looking back to the audience. “At the end of the show, we will be offering the chance to buy our friendy-wends from Drowsy Town as a set for $200 including sales tax! Of course, if you’d like to buy your own fuzzy fwendy-wend, they can all be bought separately in stores across America for $49.95! Now, enough with the snooking around! Let’s start the show! Come on, Sniggles!”

As Uncle Wiley ran off stage, several winged creatures from around the theatre jumped on stage, taking their places. They had varying skin colours, from what appeared to be a lilac to darker. Three of the Sniggles took centre stage at the front while the other five took their places behind them. The first one, wearing bright orange glasses, gestured to the stage. “Hi there boys and girls!”

One with long purplish brown hair finished off his sentence with a smile that didn’t seem as bright as the others. “We’re the Sniggles, don’t be scared!”

The first sniggle continued to speak. “I’m Storm, and these are my friends! We’ve got Skirrel, Sneeve, Blase, Snail, Venus, Elsie and Pos, and tonight, we’re going to give _you_ the greatest time of your lives!”

Alice laughed as she watched the Sniggles singing and dancing on stage, before realising how concerning the lyrics were. “Wait-“ she said to herself before the song ended, and thunderous applause raised from around her. “The Sniggles…are they birds or monsters?”

“I haven’t been _this_ confused since seeing Cats on Broadway…” Bill scoffed and turned to Alice. “Out of _every_ musical, why was it Cats that Paul had to become fond of?”

Alice was about to speak, relatively amazed at the new piece of information she learnt, before the Papa Sniggle, or “Sneeve”, spoke. “Alright, Sniggles! Last one to the Sniggle Shack is a rotten snoogle!” Every single sniggle runs off except for two. The smaller of the one was with the winding brown hair, and the other had short brown hair. The second was significantly taller than the other, but the first was the loudest.

“Hey everyone. Can we tell you something?” They asked and walked to the front of the stage, sitting down. “I’m Elsie, and this is Venus. He’s my handsome snoog. But…we gotta get back down to Drowsy Town. Do you think you can help us?” There were a set of cheers that arose from around the room, and she nodded. “Okay…okay great.”

“Hey,” Venus said softly and took her hand, their feathers brushing against one another. “We’ll get home.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Just as he said that, animatronic rabbits sprung up behind them and Sneeve jumped out from the wings.

“Look out, Sniggles and Snoggies! Drowsy Town’s been over-run with Snuggle-Bugs! It’s my duty to protect you from any who can do you harm!” He grinned and pulled out a huge mallet. The other Sniggles jumped on stage. Papa Sniggle took a swing at the ‘Snuggle-Bugs’ knocking every one of them down, but each time he did, he moved dangerously close to Elsie and Venus. Venus hooked around his snoog’s waist and pulled them close. He must have gone to say he was going to protect her, but it was too late. The mallet hit Elsie’s nose, and she was knocked back on to the floor. Purple blood and teeth spray across the stage and the music and games stop. There’s a dark humming in the room by that point and the Sniggles were cornering in on Venus and Elsie. Their teeth were now fangs, and their eyes became sharp, dark slits in their head. Claws grew on their hands, and the wings on their arms merged to their back.

Venus, panicked, looked around as he pulled Elsie up to his chest, keeping two fingers on her neck. “Run. For the love of all that’s known, run, and don’t turn back.”

The lights shut, and when they came on, the curtain was back up, and the music was playing cheerily again, but Alice was sure she could hear crying from behind it. She shrugged it off and looked at Bill. “Did…he look like Uncle Paul to you? Venus?”

Bill blinked, obviously tired, but nodded. “It was uncanny…” he stretched and stood. “Let’s get outta here, hey? Let’s enjoy the rest of our day here.”

As they exited the theatre, Alice found the melody to the song stuck in her head. Considering what she had just watched, the tune was very catchy…she hated to admit it was pretty fun to sing. _Blink once, blink twice, if you get the sniggle urge to move…_ “I hope the actor’s okay…”

“Yeah, me too…” Bill sighed and shook his head before clicking his fingers and looking at Alice. “Oh, how about this! We go on the TearJerker! The tallest roller-coaster in the Midwest!” He said and his smile returned. At the very thought of heights, Alice began to feel queasy, but nodded all the same _. My buddy Paul said someone died on the TearJerker,_ that’s what her dad had said. After glancing at her phone just then and seeing how close Deb and Ziggs were getting, she hoped she’d be next. 

They reach the line, and it’s soon their turn to get on the ride. There’s a man in a hurry wearing a lilac trenchcoat with blonde hair who hops on first, and her and Bill are seated in front of him. She just hopes he isn’t the same asshole who frequently went into Beanies. She handed her phone to her dad, placing it in his bag, as the rife began to move. She tensed, but didn’t reach for her dad’s hand like she’d usually do when she was a baby. She had to be strong. They reached the peak of the rollercoaster, and slowly, slowly, they jolted to a stop. She could just see over the drop, and saw two of the Sniggles from earlier, Pos and Skirrel, dragging Venus and Elsie out. They had them bound in ropes and lay them on the track. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, but the speakers crackled.

 _“Uh oh, boys, girls and everyone other person! Blinky’s spotted some commotion down the track-a-was! Y’all sit tight while we work out them snooks!”_ Uncle Wiley’s voice sounded over the speaker, and it caused Alice’s stomach to swirl.

Shortly after, a maintenance guy came up, the same who ran the ride, and helped them off. He helped Bill out the cart and helped him down, his lilac eyes focusing on Alice’s phone. He focused hard enough on it so the sound of glass sprinkling sounded from around, and Alice whipped her head back around as she gripped her dad’s hand.

“What was that?”

“It’s okay, Ally. Just breathe and try and climb down these stairs for me, alright?” He asked, and she gulped but nodded.

“My chest hurts…I can’t breathe…” she said after taking a couple of steps.

Bill didn’t let go of her hand and focused on getting down himself. The track creaked as they stepped down, and Bill felt himself tense then. “How about you tell me about your play you wrote sweetie? I haven’t heard anything about it yet.”

She laughed, and her voice shook, and he realised then it would be due to her crying. “No…”

“Come on, Al. I won’t laugh, promise.” At that moment, a thunderstorm began to brew overhead. Bill swallowed thickly. “It got you a scholarship, so it must be pretty good, mustn’t it?”

“Well…it’s-it’s about a girl…” Alice started.

“It sounds good so far,” he reassured, squeezing her hand as he guided her down the track. “What’s that girl do? What’s she been up to?”

“She mov-she uh, she moves to a new town, and uh-she’s gay…and she falls in love with a girl and uh-“

“I already love it.” Bill said, and he genuinely meant it.

“And uh but- but the girl’s basically a vampire-“

“Sounds scary!”

“It’s a comedy-“

“Sounds funny!” Bill corrected as rain began to lash down on them. He stabilised himself using his other hand to ensure neither of them got hurt.

“But it gets a little sad in the end because they both die in the end but I only wrote it to get the scholarship…if it becomes a real thing I don’t want it to end like that…” she sniffled and focused. “It’s…about me and deb.”

“You’re a vampire?”

“No…”

“ _Deb’s_ a vampire?!” Bill said exasperated, the rain the least of his problems, but it got Alice to laugh again.

“N-No dad…no…” When she opened her eyes, she realised her feet were on firm ground, and her dad had led her down safely. She sobbed with relief but hid it with a cough.

Bill smiled at her and squeezed her hand again. “I’m proud of you.”

She smiled then, only slightly, but him saying that meant everything to her. She pulled her hand out of his and looked at him. “Can…can I have my phone. I gotta text De-“ She watched as her dad opened the bag, but a shocked look filled his face. “What?”

Bill, already knowing the outcome, pulled out Alice’s smashed phone, handing it to her. “Alice, I swear, I don’t know how it happened-“

Alice tried to get her phone to turn on, and her breathing picked up when it wouldn’t. “M-My phone! My phone it-it’s ruined!” She said and her sobbing turned angrier. “The _one_ thing I trust you with and you fucking RUIN IT!” She screamed at him, tears trickling down her face. “Why did I ever agree to coming here with you to begin with? My girlfriend is cheating on me for all I know, and I need my phone to make sure she knows I’m _watching her!”_

“Well I was more focused on trying to get you down, okay?!”

“I hate you!” She burst, and before Bill could speak again, she turned and stormed off, holding her phone close to her chest. She didn’t know where her dad was going to end up, and quite frankly, she didn’t care. To take her anger out, she went on one of those shitty rifling machines. After being offered a Blinky doll, she swallowed the bile that crept up in her throat. “I don’t want it.”

“But what _do_ you want, my dear?”

Alice turned to see a grey and decaying shack, and in front of it was a small woman with brunette hair and sharp purple eyes. There was an odd scar in the middle of her forehead, one that looked like a bullet wound, and she had a tattoo of a purple eye surrounding it. She pointed to herself and offered a grin, a toothless and unnerving one at that. “Madame Iris knows. Madame Iris sees all.”

“Go suck some crystal balls, lady.” Alice spat. She was done with all these games. She wanted to go home to Deb, and back to Clivesdale.

Madame Iris let out a loud cackle and looked back to Alice. “Crystal balls?! No, no! I use _this!”_ She opened her purple robe and revealed a familiar, yellow iPhone 7. Alice’s eyes, in return, went wide, glancing to the area where she left the phone so she could shoot the rifle. The cowboy game manager held out a rifle to her, and Madame Iris moved forward, placing Alice’s phone in her hand. “You want the rifle.”

“Why?” She asked, and they both laughed. Alice had a bad feeling it had something to do with her phone. She logged on and saw the photos she’d been dreading. Deb and Ziggs had been getting close to each other, _too_ close for comfort. She held back tears and looked back to them.

“Leave now, Alice, and your luck will wager. And if your dad doesn’t let you go, well…just kill him.”

Alice, originally, would have found it irrational, but she was hurt enough. She wasn’t the empathetic young girl she’d been when she came in here. She took the gun from the game manager and took off back towards where she’d last seen her father.

The woman, madame iris, removed the wig she was wearing and shook her head, her teeth falling back into place. “Ugh…” she scoffed and looked to the man in front of her. “I forgot how terrible living is.”

“It’s quite the discipline,” he said and blew the end of another smoking rifle he’d just used. “Ain’t that right, darlin?” In a bright flash of red, the keeper turned back into the body of Wilbur Cross, who shook his head. “And I’m going to murder that purple son of a bitch-“

“May I assist?” She asked, and Wilbur grinned, nodding.

“It does take two to tango, after all.”

* * *

Alice finds herself on Watcher World’s Main Street, which was previously lit up by lampposts. At the other end of the street, she could see the hazy silhouette of her father outlined in purple. She stared at her, a snarl growing in her throat, and Bill held a Blinky up in the air, smoke rising behind him as the real-life mascot of the doll rose on to the building behind him. “I won you this.”

“I don’t care.”

“I thought you’d say that.”

“I want the keys to the car, and I want them now. You’ve ruined my life enough. Now hand ‘em over.” She shouldered the rifle, her purple eyes, unknowing to her, were wild and determined.

“I’m fed _up_ of your whining and your moaning all the time, Alice! Every family celebration spoiled because of _you!”_ There was a bang, and Bill looked down to see the eye of the Blinky doll in his hand to be nothing but a stuffing mess.

Alice laughed manically and looked at him again. “The next one goes through _your_ eye!” She said proudly before the smile dropped. “The keys! Now, old man!”

“Well, I ain’t goin’ nowhere until we’ve seen some fucking fireworks!”

It became a shooting frenzy before she could stop it. She thought she was the only one armed, but apparently her father was as well, with the mallet. Every bullet fired, every swing missed came the flickering of the lampposts. Blinky stood atop of the giftshop, watching everything from a higher area. It got to the point where Alice temporarily stunned her father after she thrust the butt of the gun into his stomach, before taking off to Blinky’s Funhouse. She knew she didn’t have long, but she had long enough.

She found herself in a darkened maze of mirrors, and she could hear him calling out. Slowly, alone, and surrounded by mirrors, something switched off in her. She could hear him using the nickname he used when they played hide and seek when she was tiny. She missed those days, when her parents weren’t divorced. As she started to let nostalgia overwhelm her, the line of mirrors she was hiding behind shattered, revealing her. She panicked and shouldered the gun again, taking the shot, but missing. She couldn’t take another shot, as she had to roll out from underneath the mallet that was about to be swung on to her, ending her instantly.

Ending her just like Elsie and Venus. Ending her just like how Deb had practically ended their relationship.

Alice froze. Her father was looing over her, shouting at her that she had to stop running, but she was shaking and breathing all too heavily for it to be considered normal. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she hid them well by squeezing her eyes shut. She got lost in her thoughts but heard the loud thud of the mallet clattering to the ground. She felt her father’s hand on her back, and he tells her to look at him. Reluctantly, she looks up, and almost immediately calms down when she feels the home of his brown eyes overwhelm her. They think it’s over. He goes to help her up, until they see the mirrors smashing from down the line, and Blinky running towards them full speed.

Alice lets out a shrill scream, but in a quick act of heroism, Bill grabs the rifle and aims it perfectly in the centre of his iris. He throws the gun to the floor and helps Alice up as he watched Blinky place his hand on his eye, as a purple ink-like liquid began to seep from his eye, which soon turned to seeping, and then flowing like a river. Bill realised before Alice that they’d drown if they didn’t get out right that second. He scooped her up and ran, ran as fast as his legs could carry him. He unlocks his car and places Alice in the passenger seat. He didn’t bother with clipping in and took to speeding off.

They were midway out of the Witchwoods when the purple slime came into view, but they were already safe. They’d be safe forever at that point. Alice took the hat off and placed it on her lap. “Hey dad…” she swallowed and caught her breath. “I think I know what my play’s gonna be about.”

“You do?” He asked, as he noticed a notification pop up on his phone that he ignored for that moment.

“It’s…about a girl and her dad who don’t have the best relationship, but then they came into contact with something from out of this world and he saves her life…”

Bill smiled as she went into detail about the history of that day from her perspective as he drove them home to safety in his little AMC Pacer, glad to make it home.

* * *

Blinky landed in The Black and White and growled, kicking at the blood on the floor. The one opportunity he had, and he fucked it up. He looked over to his brothers, who noticed him to be back. He let his helmet clatter to the ground as he walked away, ignoring the taunts from the four of them as well as Webby, who was joining in, but it wasn’t funny to him. It’d never be funny to him.

He walked to the portal, his eyes amber with fury. He sat down at the table and snarled, clenching his teeth. He recalled the days events, unaware his anger was channelling something else within the realm. The frame of the portal behind him, a distant grey colour, was beginning to spit red. The shield turned from a light grey to a bright blue, and started swirling, back in action once again. He didn’t notice it, though, but he didn’t mean that nobody else did.

* * *

Paul Matthews took his seat in his office, Emma on the opposite side of the table. The portal was behind them, and it had been inactive, so they chose to move Paul in there momentarily until John could clear some space. They clinked their mugs of coffee, like they usually did, and smiled. When Paul pressed the mug to his lips, he realised something off with the portal. “Emma…” he said, and Emma looked at him.

“What?” She asked, unsure of what he was looking at.

Paul realised the situation was escalating much quicker than anticipated, and he stood up. “Em, we gotta go!” He said, but it was too late. A blinding flash of blue light filled the room. Paul managed to catch Emma as she stood from the table in a panicked frenzy as well as shielding his eyes with the crook of his arm. Once the blue died down, he looked in front of him to see something he’d deemed impossible.

In front of the crackling blue portal were two other figures. The first wore a white blouse, a grey zip up jacket and jeans with a long, brown braid over her left shoulder. The second wore a white work shirt and black trousers, but there wasn’t a blazer to accompany him like Paul was so used to seeing. The girl shrugged and looked up to her partner. “Well, Paul. This just got ten times more interesting.” The two tilted their heads, almost in sync, and flicked their wrists. The girl had a knife, and the man had a baseball bat. They charged forward, their expressions fixed in a permanent scream, and Paul and Emma headed for the hall….

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so this chapter is the longest in sypf history with 5958 words woAH anyways meet my friendy wends because i hate the names sorry mr lang theyre called that via nickname:
> 
> Storm: James Tolbert.2 (because it sounds cool)  
> Skirrel: Curt Mega.2 (skirrel sounds like squirrel. curt mega played papa ed bET)  
> Papa Sniggle/Sneeve: Jeff Blim.2 (every friend group needs a steve and sneeve is steve)  
> Pos: Robert Manion.2 (pob's evil twin-)  
> Elsie: Angela Giarratana.2 (deserves a normal name after what she goes through tbh)  
> Blase: Lauren Lopez.2 (again, sounds cool)  
> Snail: Mariah Rose Faith (mARIAH SNIGGLE MARIAH SNIGGLE MARI- Also snails are cute)  
> Venus: Jon Matteson (do yoU WANNA GO TO MARS-)
> 
> also oh no what the fuck what the fuck is happening (well i didn;t try to hide it if you know you know)


	14. Fate Had Planned Something New

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ! MAJOR FOREVER AND ALWAYS SPOILERS. DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN FOREVER AND ALWAYS. SPOILERS ARE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CHAPTER !
> 
> Out of Bliklotep's large fit of rage, he summons the assistance of a couple of old friends. Unfortunately, to Emma Perkins, to see the two once more was not a friendly reminder. The truth begins to spill, and secrets unravel. How can they resolve each other as well as the ongoing problem they were now trapped in

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw: arson, murder, mentions of choking, mentions of vomiting, mentions of alcohol, mentions of forced flirting, mentions of knives, mentions of death during childbirth, shooting. 
> 
> ! nobody dies !

Being a part of CCRPs scheme to conquer the world was fine, but not for Paul Matthews. Well, for the person who was _supposed_ to be Paul. A clone, simplistic and realistic, down to the pale skin and the electric blue eyes, was the shell to the thing that walked the streets of Hatchetfield, blending in with every other citizen. He was powered to work as a worker on the moon, and, very early on with his time on earth, he found that that occupation was _not_ right for him, and world dominance was. He didn’t want to slave away as a clone of some mediocre white boy who drank black coffee (seriously, who _does_ that?) and works in an office, specifically the office that made _him._ He didn’t want to live that lifestyle, and he didn’t want to be the person to keep hiding as someone he wasn’t. With the real Paul still alive, there was only one option for his plan to succeed.

Murder.

He never saw a thing coming. He’d been walking down the street, and with it just turning dusk, it wasn’t hard for an axe to pierce the fragile skull of the man without anyone noticing. The sharp blade split the brain in half, and he died instantly. It wasn’t as if _anybody_ would miss him, after all. Nobody had to mourn the prototype. Once the evidence was cleared, and the body was disposed in the river after being thrown off of the Nantucket, the dead man’s shoes had already been filled. Literally. With every memory already loaded into the microchip in his mind, it wasn’t hard not to pretend to be the person he was a replica of. Except…the original was gone, and the replica was now the all-powerful.

Fitting in also meant settling into the relationship he had to go home to, and marrying Emma was the best decision he’d ever made. She was witty and beautiful. He wasn’t entirely sure about what the real Emma Perkins was like, but his Emma was gorgeous all the same. _Especially_ when she had a dead person’s blood splattered on her collar. Her tanned skin was sparkling with red, artificial freckles that came from the dead biker’s neck wound. Being married to a murderous clone was heaven on Earth. Soon, Earth would be theirs.

When Emma Matthews came home that night, Paul Perkins was waiting for her, a baseball bat in hand. Being married meant that their souls were combined in a form of unity, which was a tragedy considering they were soulless. They weren’t able to show emotions, to show remorse, more specifically. It made their job ten times better than what it already was. The wife to the clone raised an eyebrow, dropping her bag to the ground, and examined him in his signature brown suit. “We’re needed,” he said, and her eyes glistened with sparks.

He extended his hand, and after she grabbed the sharpest knife that she could, took his free one. Together, they sauntered up the stairs together. She grabbed his tie and pressed herself against the wall, pulling him into a kiss, which was returned as he swung the bat over his shoulder, placing an arm around her waist. Once she got bored of the kiss, or so it said, she placed a hand on his chest, pushing him backwards.

In front of their bed was the black frame of a portal, a bright blue and white swirling sea of psychic energy consuming the empty space. Red sparks leaped out of the boundaries of the blue adhesive and floated like embers to the carpet, where they extinguished without a trace. The two clones were soon through the adhesive and absorbed by The Black and White where they came face to face with the God who summoned them.

They didn’t belong to one God. They were their own person, their own people, and required no further evidence at that matter of fact. However, Bliklotep was one of the best to work with. He was the one who watched, he was the one who knew all, and he always had the best decisions when it came down to the best kind of murder. Emdroid crossed her arms as her clone husband stood beside her, the purple god turning to face them.

“You got the message.”

“We sure did, boss.” Paul 23 said, and Blinky nodded, satisfied.

“Good.” In front of him appeared a blueprint, which he slammed on to the table. He rolled it out and showed them the plan. “Kill John McNamara for me.”

“Why can’t you do that?” Emdroid asked, and Blinky rolled his eye.

“ _Because_ if I did it, he’d come here in The Black and White where his _husband_ is.” The clones nodded as Blinky looked at them. “Now go. I want you back within the week.”

“Got it,” they said in unison as the portal reopened from behind them, and they stepped back through.

With a blinding blue flash, they appeared in the room, fingers linked with each other, smirks on their face. They looked at their alternative counterparts, and Emma shrugged. “Well, Paul, this just got ten times more interesting.” With a snarl, their calm facades dropped, and they ran forward, the human versions of themselves racing out of the room, locking them inside the door, but they were so naïve. They couldn’t be stopped _that_ easily.

* * *

Paul slammed the door shut and locked it, his hand hovering over the gun in his belt, his pupils wide, his breathing unsteady. “Emma…what the fuck is going on…?” He looked to his wife, who was pale, and her eyes teary. She shook her head, running a hand through her hair, which had become loose in the partial chase.

“I…I need to talk to you…but not here. It’s too dangerous.” She gestured to the couple inside the room, who were still looking through the glass. She took a breath and took her hair down, nodding. “The Birdhouse. Come on, we’re going, and then I’ve got one _hell_ of an email to write to General McNamara.” She turned and headed to the exit, Paul chasing behind her.

She climbed into their small green car and refused to talk until they were at The Birdhouse, Hatchetfield’s infamous hole-in-the-wall pub and music venue. She couldn’t believe she’d been found _again._ She thought her dying in the past dimension was the end of it. She didn’t know why she was suddenly being chased through time and space again, but now Paul was in danger, and she could _not_ allow that.

Once they reached The Birdhouse, she headed for her usual spot at the bar, ordering a whiskey for herself, and a beer for her husband. Billiard balls cracked together behind her as the person beside her lit a cigarette. Paul shuffled on to the bar stool beside her as she zipped up her grey jacket, furrowing her eyebrows. “Emma…baby…what’s going on?” He asked, taking the beer, watching as she threw back the shot that’d been placed in front of her. “I’ve never seen you drink like that…”

“Yeah. You haven’t seen half of me, Paul.” She took a breath. “I went through hell and high water to get away from her and yet she _follows_ me here. And she isn’t dead…”

“Emma what do you mean?” He asked, his eyebrows lowered out of concern. She sighed deeply and turned to face him.

“Look…I’m not from this dimension. The Emma from your dimension is dead.”

“What?” Paul asked, and she could hear his voice crack. “But…but how-“

“Because The Black and White has done this before. The first lot of Hatchetfield Six, this isn’t the first bout of them! I know because _I’m_ a member of the Hatchetfield Six! It was me, Becky Barnes, John McNamara, Alice Woodward and Henry Hidgens…” She took a breath and looked at him. “I almost died, the first time. Early December 2017, I was heading to Tikal on this bus. There were 30 people on it and 40 chickens.” She snorted as a laugh and sighed. “I fuckin’ loved those chickens, man. But the driver’s a maniac, making these _crazy_ sharp turns on the edges of these cliffs. It was the inevitable that we were gonna go over. One was too tight, and the driver slams on the breaks but the bus rolls on it’s side. It flies _right_ over the edge…and I was the only survivor. Me and ten fuckin’ chickens. So, with some added trauma, I go back to the hostel and surprise, surprise, my identity’s been stolen!”

“You’re serious?” Originally, he’d have said it wasn’t, but now he was a part of PEIP himself, he was highly doubting the fact that she would lie, especially to someone such as himself.

She nodded and tilted her head, sadly. “I am. And my whole life was in that backpack. It was so fuckin’ hard for me to get back here without _anything._ But when I _did_ get back…I realised something.” She took a breath and watched her husband trying to drink the entire pint of beer he’d been given. “CCRP, from where I come from, isn’t just a time machine, but also creates clones and androids. The Paul and Emma in that room are called Emdroid and Paul 23.”

Paul spluttered on his beer and looked at her. He wiped the froth off of his top lip and looked at her. “They were _robots?”_

“No. One was an android, being me. Paul 23 was a clone of you intended to go to the moon.”

“Oh fuck, my head hurts. Okay…okay. This is fine, this is fine…” he said and ran a hand through his hair. “So what happened to _my_ Emma?”

“They chopped her up, threw her in a body bag, threw her off the Nantucket Bridge.” She took her second shot off of the bartender and drank that in one go as well. “Well… _originally_ it was supposed to be me who died, but something got muddled up in The Black and White and…I’m here now. I’m not happy about it either.”

“What?!” Paul’s voice was now weak and helpless, as the doors to The Birdhouse opened again.

“And boy, would I do it again.”

The married couple turned around to see their robot counterparts standing at the door, minus the weapons that they had originally been wearing _plus_ a change of clothes. Paul immediately felt himself go pale, and he grabbed Emma’s leg. Emma turned to him and looked into his eyes. “Hey. You’ll be alright. I’ve been through it once; I can do it again.”

The androids walked forward, taking seats on either side of their human counterparts, ordering _exactly_ the same thing as the official Emma and Paul had. The biker, who’d been the one to light the cigarette, looked over and wolf whistled. “Is it _my_ lucky day, or am I seein’ double? You guys twins or somethin?”

“Married.” The four said in sync, and they all held up their wedding bands. The good way to tell the difference is how Emma’s wedding ring contained a sapphire, and Emdroid’s had a ruby. After realising what happened, they lowered their hands and returned back to their drinks.

“So am I! It makes it more fun…” he purred and hooked his arm around Emdroid’s waist, which caused her to groan. “Come on! I got some friends by the pool table. Lemme introduce ya.”

“Leave her _alone!”_ Paul 23 said, and the Biker looked at him.

“I ain’t gonna hurt the little lady…who is currently wielding an extremely large knife…I’m just gonna show her a good time!” From his own pocket, he produced a pocketknife and flipped the blade, earning a snarl from Emdroid. “Hey, hey! I ain’t gonna fuckin’ hurt ya!”

“You should probably let her go.” Paul 23 said, taking another sip from his beer.

“And why would I do that?” He asked, waving the switchblade around, accidentally cutting Emdroid’s arm. Her eyes turned a dark yellow and, with inhuman speed, swung the knife at her. She seemed unfazed at the now severed head that landed on the pool table, and neither did she They attempted to come at her, as they shouted and screamed at her, but she avoided each and every attack. Bar stools burst as if they were nothing and the edges of tables splintered. The Emdroid rolled her eyes as she plucked a man’s arm from its socket. “Great, now _no_ one can live.” With the final few dropping dead, the bartender having fled the scene in a nauseous state, it was just Emdroid, Emma, Paul 23 and Paul. “ _This_ is why we don’t tell anyone, Emma!”

The real Emma was clutching her glass, and she could feel her husband trembling. She didn’t need to guess that he was pale and sweating. After a lack of response, Emdroid charged forward, ripped the stool from underneath Emma, and clasped her hand around her neck, lifting her into the air, that was already leaving a bloody handprint on Emma’s neck. “Ya coulda just died in that bus and made things _simple_ for the both of us!”

“You cut the breaks…” she wheezed out, fighting to remain conscious.

“Yeah. And now I’m cutting something else.” She grabbed the knife from the bar and, just as she was about to plunge it into Emma’s heart, came a gunshot that hit Emdroid’s back. She let go of her neck and dropped to the floor, slumping over, as Emma landed harshly on her knee. Paul swallowed the bile that climbed up his throat as he watched the scene and was by his wife’s side in seconds.

“Are you okay?” He asked, placing his hand on his wife’s shoulder, and she gingerly touched her neck.

“I fucked up my leg…” she spluttered as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close once more.

“But we were rescued…right?” He asked, and Emma coughed again, shrugging before scrunching her nose up.

“Does it smell like smoke in here to you?” She asked, and Paul sniffed the air as another gunshot whizzed through the air, hitting Paul 23. He fell backwards off his chair and joined his wife on the floor. The two Matthews’ looked up as a wall of smoke formed from outside the birdhouse. There was a tall man stood, lanky and lame with a beret set upon his curled hair. Beside him was a shorter figure, with similarly curled hair. They both stood tall and proud, a large gun strapped to the taller man’s back. They started talking as they stepped through the smoke. To the right of the taller guy was an _even_ taller guy, with flat brown hair in what appeared to be a paramedic uniform.

“Does this count as committing arson? Ma’am, am I going to jail?”

“Benny, you’re _not_ going to jail,” another male voice spoke, the three of them stepping into the clear.

Emma sobbed at the relief of seeing Colonel Schaffer and her mentee, finally acknowledging how they were going to be getting helped. “Private, grab taller one. I’ve got the android.” She said, as she crouched down to Emma’s level. “You guys okay?”

“She fucked up her leg when she fell. And I think I’m gonna be sick.” Paul said and Emma flinched as she tried to move her leg.

“It’s just a bruise…”

The third guy who was in front of them placed a mask upon his face and carefully touched her leg, shaking his head. “It’s definitely broken, miss. Oh- George Slate, I work for the ambulance crew at St Damien’s.”

Emma groaned and leaned further into Paul’s touch, nodding. “Paul, baby, get me outta here.”

Paul nodded, carefully lifting Emma up, being mindful of her leg. He looked to Colonel Schaffer for the next direction as she grabbed Emdroid’s leg. The Colonel looked around, scanning the scene. She nodded and looked to her small team of injured and alive. “Take the back exit and get to the ambulance. We’re heading to HQ.” She led the way, dragging Emdroid out by her foot. She kicked open the back door, which had originally been locked, and continued to drag the android out. Private Slate followed with Paul 23 in his arms, and George led the way for Paul down to the ambulance.

Schaffer opened the back of the ambulance and threw the android inside. George climbed in the front of his ambulance and buckled in, and after Benny placed Paul 23 beside Emdroid, climbed in beside his brother. Paul helped Emma in to the back, and Schaffer stood guard. She took John’s lighter, that she’d stolen, and, bracing herself for impact, lit the strip of gasoline that Benny had circled around The Birdhouse. It was up in flames without hesitation. She bolted back to the ambulance and looked to George. “Slate, go!”

“Georgie go-“ Benny said, taking off his beret and glasses, laughing softly as the adrenaline began to ware off. “Lou’s gonna be so fuckin’ jealous. We commit arson.”

“We did _not_ commit arson.” Schaffer scoffed, but Emma offered a pained reply.

“Nah, you fuckin lit public property on fire. That’s arson, my dudes.”

George sped back to PEIP as soon as he could, and assisted with getting the androids inside a separate interrogation room as Benny sped ahead, leading his brother through the unfamiliar halls. “Louisiana!”

Lou turned her head sharply, taking her headset off, John doing exactly the same, except he wasn’t wearing a headset. “Yeah?”

“We commit _arson.”_

She scoffed and looked at him. “And without _me!?”_

“Lou,” John said in a slightly disciplining tone.

“Oh, come on, _dad_ , it’s a _joke.”_

“It’s also a crime.”

“Which makes it so funny!” She said and placed her headset on the desk in front of her. “Anyways, you bore me. You’re old. Boo.”

“Boo! Old people!” Benny followed on as Lou jogged to meet him. “Where are we headed?”

“Intervention room 2EP. We’ve got an android clone of Emma and a direct clone of Paul, Emma’s leg is snapped, Paul’s throwing up.”

“Sounds like a party to me!” She said and beamed before Benny spun on his heel and looked at her.

“And don’t forget about your date with your motorcycle girlfriend tonight.”

“I’m sorry?” John asked, rising from his chair.

“Oh? Haven’t you heard Mr McNamara?” Benny asked and looked at him. “Your daughter’s dating Ruth Yates from radio, sir.”

“She’s not-“ Lou elbowed Benny harshly in the side, causing him to immediately nurse it. She cleared her throat. “She _isn’t_ my girlfriend.”

“No, but you want her to be!” Benny said before quickly running from the room, Lou hot on his tail.

John shook his head and sighed, looking to Colonel Schaffer, who’d followed her own mentee through. “You may as well adopt Benny.”

“And grow an emotional attachment to him? John, I’d rather join Ash.”

“You don’t mean that.” He said and smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder, only to be met with a punch to the gut. “Alright…maybe you don’t…”

“You’re an amazing dad, John. I serve to be a mentor and nothing else. Even if my mentee _must_ be the most foolish on sight.”

“But you like Benny, don’t you?”

Schaffer hesitated before nodding. “He’s got a heart of gold. He’s naïve, and his head’s full of cotton most days of the week…but he’ll mature.”

“And how can you be so sure?”

“Because…” she sighed. “He has a lot of trauma on his back.”

“As do the rest of us, Schaffer,” he said as if it were nothing, earning a harsh glare from her.

“I hardly accept losing a boyfriend and best friend of 10 years during childbirth, having to raise a new-born alone for a year, in many cases having to leave her with his older brother’s girlfriend while he works in memory of his boyfriend is considered _just_ trauma, sir.”

John licked his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. “Why, I’m sorry.”

“As long as Slate never discovers that you found out about the one thing that terrifies him, then I shall believe we won’t have a problem.”

“His secret is secured with me.” He nodded before clasping his hands behind his back in an orderly manner. “So, Colonel, may you guide me through today’s events of you, apparently, ‘committing arson?’”

Schaffer sighed and nodded as they exited the room, heading towards the area where Paul 23 and Emdroid were. “We got a call from…an old friend.”

“Ah, Colonel Hill.”

“No-“ she said quickly before sighing. “Okay, it was Alex. And they’d been working alongside her manager. All of a sudden, Paul and Emma walk in out of uniform. Emma starts throwing back whiskey shots, and Paul got tipsy on half a pint of beer.”

“Not to offend the poor man, but weak.”

“Agreed.” She continued, as simply as she could. “So Alex continues to work behind the scenes, and Emma’s telling Paul about something, or, an original bout of _Hatchetfield Six.”_

“It’s happened before?” John asked, and Schaffer nodded.

“And then a second, direct, replica of Emma and Paul walk in. A biker starts flirting with the four of them, and he tries to take the second version of Emma away, and he _decapitates_ him with inhumane strength, and also murders every other person in that bar aside from the second Paul and our agents. Hill grabbed her manager, and they ran, and she made the call to me. When me, Slate and Slate’s brother got there, the second Emma had Emma in a chokehold, and upon further inspection, Slate’s brother announced she broke her leg.” She continued to walk through the halls, General McNamara beside her. “May I introduce to you, Paul 23 and Emdroid, two android replicas of our agents with identical genetics used for world domination.”

She pushed open the door, and tied down to two beds were, indeed, the androids. John furrowed his eyebrows and looked at them. “And this is the reason behind The Birdhouse being lit on fire?”

“Correct, sir. We had to extinguish the evidence. We blamed it on-“

“A leaky gas pipe.” They said in unison and John nodded.

“Alright. I’ll send Slate on comms. He’ll have a hell of a good time teasing futuristic robots. In the meanwhile, _I_ am going to go and find our agents and reassure them it’s going to be okay.”

* * *

Paul was sat on the edge of Emma’s bed, a bucket by his feet. He was sweating and pale, the events of the day replaying in his head. Emma had his hand held gently, squeezing it occasionally. They hadn’t spoken much since being bought to the hospital wing. Emma wasn’t from that dimension and had been a part of the true Hatchetfield Six, and he…needed answers about what exactly CCRP was.

CCRP stood for Coven Communications Research and Power, but he had no idea what the Coven meant. He also had no idea that the office he worked in had been replicating his DNA in another dimension, making clones of himself against his will, and sending versions of himself, with his own memories and his own personalities, _up to the moon._ He heaved again and grabbed the backet as Emma rubbed his back, remaining still. Her leg was hoisted up in a cast, and she was too tired to do much else.

At the same time, Ted walked in, arm linked with a girl in jeans and red hair. “Paul, Jenny. Jenny, Paul- Paul is throwing up, okay. And that’s Erica-“

“Emma!”

“Gesundheit.” He said and saluted to her. Once Paul had finished throwing up, Ted took his seat beside Emma, his hand clasping Jenny’s. “Look, I believe ya when you say about these androids at CCRP…but I also need you to know that CCRPs a-“

“Time machine?” Paul asked weakly, wiping the back of his mouth, grabbing a water bottle. “And so I’ve heard.”

“But I was the one to find it.” He sighed. “Look, it’s my office that’s the time machine. I fell asleep in there one day, got trapped in 2004 and became the Homeless Guy that intruded at yours and Emma’s wedding.”

“Well, fuck you too, Ted.” Emma said, squeezing Paul’s hand to keep him calm.

Ted went to speak again before a familiar chill ran through the room. He was about to explain, when a swirling bright yellow tornado appeared in the corner of the room, and the lights blew. Ted immediately checked his watch and pulled Jenny closer to him. Time had stopped. The light began to turn into glittering particles that built the rotting, stinking shell of the goat man known formerly as T’Noy Karaxis, and now by Tinky. In his left hand, he held the ornate box, tossing it up in the air. Emma found it in herself to sit up, moving herself as close to Paul as she could while remaining hidden, as the goat’s tongue flopped out of its suit, it’s bulging eyes wobbling around wildly.

“How about _I_ recall the events? After all…you’re all still mine...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so basically blinky got angry and went feck it my friends are coming back so he summons paul 23 and emdroid and they try and kill their human counterparts. emma and paul get drunk. mr dylan saunders biker flirts with them. emdroid goes crazy aa go stupid, and then benny commits arson. benny exposes lou for being a homosexual, mcnamara and schaffer roast the fuck out of paul, and then tinky comes back.
> 
> tinky slander tinky slander tinKY SLANDER TINKY SLANDER TINK-
> 
> also hidgens returns next chapter. and my mans chad. chadgens is the most important ship in hatchetfield/jks but not rlly  
> we all know its mcnamander and paulkins don't even @ me
> 
> also creds to zoya for that brief mention of their oc- the jay and zoya hatchetfield universe starts now-


	15. A Masterful Criminal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CW: Tinky wants to watch the world burn
> 
> !!!!! TIME BASTARD SPOILERS DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN TIME BASTARD !!!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so a quick summary:
> 
> mentions of paul vomiting, some guy makes a return, another guy makes a return, lesbians, the mere inference my fave oc is making a return, ted not actually being a dick, tinky slander
> 
> ive been procrastinating on this chapter for so long, heck help me anyway enjoy childrens:

Ted flinched as the familiar face of T’Noy Karaxis entered the room. Face was a little _too_ extreme for it to be certain. He wore a mask over his face to cover his true identity, the coward. The teal eyed coward that stuck to the laws of The Black and White, to the hellish realm where Ted had found himself in. Away from his brother, away from everyone. Away from Bill, away from Paul, away from Charlotte…he didn’t want to think about Charlotte. He had Jenny now. Jenny _was_ the only girl he’d ever fallen in love with before, he was sure of it. Yet, thinking back to his colleague, he found the familiar feelings he’d hidden away resurfacing as if they were nothing.

Maybe the rapid pounding of his heart whenever she discussed Sam wasn’t a coincidence. Maybe, when she was crying in his arms after a hook-up discussing how bad Sam was treating her and how he wanted to scoop her up and hold her until all her problems were gone, maybe that wasn’t a coincidence either. Maybe he’d been so hung up on a girl who’d fallen for another man, whether she be happy or not, but Kilgore treated her well…and he remained a jealous prick. After all, that was what he was. A prick.

One that was _so_ unworthy that he ended up homeless. He was known as ‘Homeless Guy’ around Hatchetfield during that tragic period of his life. Not even ‘ _The_ Homeless Guy.’ It hurt him so fucking much when he’d be sitting there, surviving on whiskey and stale pastries, when he’d see his coworkers walk past him, never once batting an eye towards him. He was _just_ a Homeless Guy back then. Why would he serve any significance to them? He was out of their lives, and they seemed happy enough without him.

Now, he found himself back by Eri- _Emma_ and Paul’s bedside. Paul was paler than he’d ever been, and he looked as bad as he was clearly feeling, his hair sticking out all over the place, his blazer dropped to the floor. Emma? She was no better. Her leg was held up in a cast on the bed, and she was trying to comfort Paul the best she could, but it wasn’t exactly easy when she had an entire bed restraining her from moving _plus_ a broken leg. Jenny was beside him too. Jenny was clinging on to his arm as if he’d fade away, and she had a certain gentleness in his eyes.

He didn’t. He had a feigned fire in his own eyes. He looked towards the goat man and his pupils became larger, more determined to fight against the thing that had ripped him from his family, that had set him up with Hidgens and almost gotten him murdered- that _had_ gotten him murdered in one dimension as he protected Lucy…he didn’t want to think about Lucy right now. Not only that, but he’d also left his little brother. The little shit that he may be, they were still related through genetics, and he was in the hands of Henry fucking Hidgens. A new light formed in his heart, one that hadn’t been there since he was 17 years old.

The change he’d have to experience was inevitable, after all.

Tinky turned back to Ted and smiled. “Or should I say…let ‘em see it, how about it, Teddy-Bear?” He asked as his features began to morph back to normal. The rotting, yellow fur shrunk back down, and in its place was a black suit that shifted to yellow in certain lighting in a Victorian like design. Some of the fur attached itself to the top of the creature’s head, forming in a long, blonde braid that reached his lower back. The horns swirled back into position, and his bulging eyes turned teal. He cleared his throat and cuffed up the sleeves, reaching into his pocket, producing the golden cube. He tilted his head, raised an eyebrow, and opened it with a flick of his wrist. A portal frame formed out of solid gold, and a yellow barrier stood between it. The barrier, however, turned to glass, as the events of that dreadful day played through. Everyone in the room couldn’t help but look.

* * *

And everyone agreed! What a lovely service Paul and Emma’s wedding had been. It would probably have been nicer for Ted if he hadn’t been drunk the entire day. He loved weddings _only_ for the fact that they were the best place to pick up a chick. Everyone on the island knew that was why he went to weddings, hence why he hadn’t been invited to Paul and Emma’s. Considering Paul _was_ his best friend, he hadn’t been surprised, but he wasn’t a coward, so he showed regardless of the invitation not coming through his letterbox.

After several unsuccessful, and drunken, attempts with Emma, ‘Top Floor’ Sylvia and Charlotte (who mentioned Sam which had Ted seething to the bone), he’d pretty much given up. Everyone seemed to be in a relationship nowadays. He hadn’t even _known_ about Bill and Sylvia. Good for Bill for moving on after the divorce, and all, but Sylva was _hot._ Or…or maybe it was because she looked like Jenny but _no,_ Jenny was dead!

So, currently, the man was pouting in the corner, another sad bachelor beside him. “Can you believe it? _Everyone_ is getting laid tonight _but_ me!”

“You’re telling me, brother.” Hidgens sighed and took another sip of his beer, shaking his head.

“I thought you had Chad?” Ted asked and furrowed his eyebrows, crossing his arms, leaning back in the chair effortlessly.

Henry shrugged and scoffed. “Things changed between me and him. After _Alexa_ came into our lives…and Siri, the little vixen that she is…ten times better than _Chad_ would ever be…still, it’s hard not to long for those times on the football field.” Hidgens sighed nostalgically, earning a groan from Ted.

“I genuinely couldn’t give a fuck?” He asked and ran a hand through his hair. “You wanna know what I was like in college? _Not_ the tornado of sexual charisma I am now. I cherished women…still do, just not as often. Especially Jenny…My Jenny. The best friend I ever had…one I just happened to fall in love with. Jennifer Amelia Wilkinson.” He laughed at himself. “And if I hadn’t have tried to drink liquid courage to ensure that I _got_ her, then maybe she’d be Jenny Spankoffski instead of Jenny Kilgore nowadays…” Things became silent before Hidgens placed his glass on the table.

“Well, you can’t change the past, son.” He said before standing. “I require to use the…little boys room.”

“Gross.”

“Don’t spike my drink.”

“If anything, I’d drink it myself.” Ted continued as the wedding DJ that Paul and Emma booked spoke up.

“Alright, everyone! It’s that time of the night where we invite the newlywedded couple to the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife!” Ted scoffed, grabbing a bottle of Smirnoff from the empty table beside him, pouring some into the glass. “Now, has anybody seen the groom?”

“Yeah, buddy, probably off fucking Perkins in the bathroom.” He said and rolled his eyes, drinking the entire contents of the glass, allowing the drink to burn his throat. When his eyes opened again, and he looked up, Paul was grinning at him.

“You had us worried that you’d fled!” Paul said and grabbed his arm, pulling him up. “Come on! She’s waiting for you! We all are!”

Confused, Ted scrunched his face up as Paul dragged him further towards the centre of the room. “Who? Erika?”

“No!” Paul said and, beaming, stepped out of the way. When Ted looked up, his eyes widened, and he was left stunned. Jenny Wilkinson stood in front of him in the most beautiful dress he’d ever seen. It had some sort of neckline he couldn’t name because he knew fuck _all_ about dresses, but it was short sleeved. The skirt wasn’t anything much, neither was the main dress itself. It was ivory in colour with minimal detail. Even then, she still managed to look like the prettiest girl in the world. Maybe that was because she was in his eyes.

“Hey, Teddy…” she said, and she was almost nervous. Ted couldn’t take his eyes off of her, but when he did, his eyes became filled with bewilderment. The balloons hadn’t been blue and silver before, he was sure of it…and why was the banner reading ‘ _Congratulations Ted and Jenny’_ now instead? Yet, when his eyes returned to Jenny, everything else melted away. He stepped closer to her, and she took his hands in her own. “Wow. Here we are. And I hope to fuck that you remembered the dance lessons.” She moved his hand against her waist and the other on her shoulder.

“Is this real?” He asked as they began to sway gently to the music. “Are _you_ real?”

Jenny laughed, and _god_ it felt so good to hear her laugh again. Her distinct, sugar filled laugh. He hadn’t realised how much he’d missed her until that moment when tears filled his eyes. “You didn’t eat one of my cousin’s edibles, did you? We were gonna take those _together,_ dummy.” She said and rested her head against his shoulder as they danced. He practically sobbed then, holding her that little bit tighter.

“Jenny…” he said, his breath stolen and his mind a blur. He was dancing with Jenny _fucking_ Wilkinson…”It’s our wedding. I can’t believe it. Y-You’re so beautiful, and I love you so much…” he laughed and looked to the crowd where he pointed directly at a familiar blonde-haired figure who had the audacity to show. “Take that, Andrew!” The man, Andrew, shrivelled back into the shadows as Jenny’s weight pressed more against him. This wasn’t a dream. It was too real to be a dream.

When the song ended, and he’d been congratulated by friends and family, he wiped his eyes and smiled. Somehow, he’d ended up being Bill’s boss. He was seen as a respectable member of CCRP now. People were viewing him as a respectful figure because…he didn’t know _why_ because, but he was basking in it. His life is ten times better than what it was yesterday, and the day before. He wasn’t a sleazeball rat anymore. _He_ was Theodore Spankoffski, and _he_ was sitting at the place of honour, eating wedding cake with his wife.

From the side of the room, a door opened, and in stepped a red-haired man in a suit, and beside him, a tall teenaged boy with brown, curly hair. He wore thick rimmed glasses and a bow tie and seemed to itch himself in his suit. The teen seemed lost until his eyes landed on the groom, and he looked to the man, who nodded. He bolted forward, catching Ted’s attention. Ted, finishing off the mouthful of cake he had, looked to the kid running through the crowd, and tears filled his eyes again. “Ollie?” He asked, his voice cracking as he got off his seat. The younger kid, Ollie, ran up and smiled at Ted, throwing his arms around him, a gift bag in his hand.

“Ted!” He cheered and hugged the man tightly. Ted shut his eyes tightly, tears spilling once more, gripping the suit of his younger brother. “I got here, Ted! I promised, didn’t I?”

“You sure did…” he said shakily, pulling away, looking to his brother. “What’s that?” He asked, gesturing to the gift bag he was holding.

Ollie looked to it, and smiling, passed it over to him. “It’s a wedding gift! Cuz I haven’t seen you in _years…_ I wanted to make it memorable.”

Ted sat back down on the chair and pulled the present out of the bag. It was wrapped in yellow, shining paper. Hesitantly, he unwrapped it, to see he was holding an ornate golden box with intriguing designs on all six sides. “Ollie…did you get me a fuckin’ box?” He asked and laughed, but a different voice came out of Ollie’s mouth.

 _“The Bastard’s Box.”_ It hissed, sounding more animal than human, and though Ollie was speaking…the voice came from next to him.

Ted turned his head to face Jenny, but instead, she wasn’t there. He turned back to face his brother, but he wasn’t there either. No Paul, no Bill, no Ollie, no _Jenny…_ everyone was gone. The hall was silent, the lights were off. The roses in the centrepieces were black and wilting, and flies buzzed around rotting food. He gasped as the spotlight switched on, drawing his eyes to the dance floor. There stood an uninvited guest, proud and tall. Whatever it may be, it was covered in a matted yellow suit that looked to be covered in oil, for it was drenched in some sort of liquid. He could smell it from where he was sitting. The mask upon it’s head featured jagged horns and bulging yellow eyes with uneven pupils. It’s teeth were bucked and chipped, and it’s tongue couldn’t seem to stay in it’s mouth.

He fell from his seat in terror before scrambling up, slamming the box on the table in front of him. “You ain’t invited here!” He pleaded desperately, and it remained motionless.

“You should be careful with that. It’s where I keep _all my toys,_ Teddy-Bear. Toys like you.” It began to laugh crazily; it’s bulging eyes jiggling around like some kind of rope.

“What?! Where’s Jenny?! Where’s Ollie!?” He asked, but it remained motionless still.

“Tick tock, Teddy-Bear! Tick-fucking-tock!” In a flash of yellow, the creature vanishes and reappears inches from Ted’s face, the plates shattering under it’s hooves. The goat creature grabbed Ted’s jacket and lifted him into the air, staring dead into Ted’s eyes. “I’m comin’ for your ass, Teddy Bear! I’M COMING FOR YOU!” He screamed, and Ted screamed back, waiting for the moment he’d feel nothing but pain, but it never came.

Paul broke him from whatever trance he’d been held in. A simple hand on the shoulder had done the trick. As expected, Ted whirled around in his suit, spilling the Smirnoff on his shirt, soaking it. “Dammit, Paul!”

“Hey.” He said, and his voice was sharp, a side of Paul that Ted had never heard before. It was…kinda hot. “Lay off the booze, okay?” Ted looked around, and everything was back to normal, or how it had been before. It was Paul and Emma’s wedding, not his and Jenny’s.

“What happened to Jenny, Paul?” He asked as he stood up, placing his hands on Paul’s shoulders, now in dire need of a correct answer. Jenny _had_ to be his. He couldn’t have dreamt that.

Paul, remaining focused, ignored the question. “Hey, I got a favour to ask you. I forgot to hand in my weekly reports on Friday. Do you think you could…run back to the office and slide ‘em under Mr Davidson’s door? I’d do it myself but, ya know, it’s my wedding night, and I don’t wanna miss any time with Emma. Besides…you’re making quite a few people uncomfortable. So… _could_ you be a pal?” He asked.

Ted looked from him and then back to the room. Nobody cared enough about him to notice him. He wasn’t memorable to anyone, not even important as the dream had made him out to be. Jenny had _just_ been a hallucination, just a dream. But it was so real…he sighed, a temper rising, as he began backing away from Paul. “Fine, I know when I’m not _wanted_!” He spat as he began walking away, only to hear Paul saying that it was ‘a first to him.’ He stopped, and debated turning around, causing a scene, but what would it be worth in the end? Certainly not Jenny. So, he left, not noticing two people who he’d passed on the way in.

The two people in question looked extremely high end. The girl had long red hair, so dark that it was almost brown, but she had the prettiest green eyes. She wore a soft blue dress and black heels, holding a gift for the newlyweds in her hand. The man beside her, her husband, wore a black suit and had his blonde hair in a braid. Around his neck was a golden chain, and the charm at the end of it was that of a small, golden ornate box with intricate details that marked it. They walked inside and headed straight to the bride and groom, apologetically smiling. “Paul, Emma! Goodness, I’m _so_ sorry we’re late! Traffic fucking kills!” She huffed, catching Emma’s attention.

“Oh, Jenny, it’s not a problem!” She smiled, enveloping her friend in a hug, as Paul greeted Andrew respectively.

“You just missed Ted,” Paul decided to add. “He was drunk off his ass and making quite a few people uncomfortable.”

“He was drunk _during_ the vows.” Emma said and shook her head, pulling away from Jenny.

“Whatever you saw in him, Jen, I will _never_ fully understand,” Andrew said, grasping the box charm around his neck tightly in his hand.

“Me either…” she admitted, and a tone of sadness leaked into his voice. “We’re not _too_ late to the party, though, are we?”

“Oh, of course not! You’re never too late!” Emma smiled, waving goodbye to Paul, dragging her over to the ‘ _Girl’s Table.’_ Paul, in short, followed, leaving Andrew alone. He waited until the coast was clear before taking off the chain, opening the box. The screaming of the innocent still seemed clearer than a summer’s sky. Now there was a new voice. Being a host for T’Noy Karaxis was one of the better jobs he’d taken up in life. Not that anybody knew it yet…

With a sudden chill behind him, and a flash of yellow from behind him, time stood still. Kilgore spun on his heel to face the respectable goat-like figure of the god of time himself. “Andrew.”

“Tinky.” Kilgore approached the goat-figure with little-to-no sense of fear. He shut the lid to the box that he was listening to the souls in, watching as the goat-suit merged back to the human form. Bulging eyes became small and teal. The shabby fur became a long, blonde plait that acted as a tail, and the suit itself became Victorian styled in a yellow to black shifting feature. Tinky ran a hand through the little hair that was lose on top of his head, and spiralling goats horns became to sprout from his temple. Once the transformation was complete, he shuddered and turned back to his apprentice. “All is well, sir.”

“He’s in 2104, Kilgore.”

“Bullshit.” The human pinched the bridge of his nose, before folding his arms. “What do you want me to do?” He asked, and Tinky grinned, his perfectly aligned teeth glinting as he handed Kilgore a remote, one button featuring on it.

“Kill him.”

* * *

“And did the plan backfire, yes or no?” Jenny began to ask, a sudden smirk, and Ted bit his lip.

“I’d rather not get into it-“

“The Bastard killed Jenny instead.” Tinky, simply, flipped a switch on the portal which turned it into nothing but dust particles in a matter of seconds. “He went forward to 2104, nearly got murdered, drugged his teenaged self in 2004, killed his girlfriend, beat the shit out of Andy Kilgore, and then got stuck becoming a member of The Hatchetfield Six.” He said and smiled, his teeth glinting. “But…without my apprentice to do it for me then, well…I guess _I’m_ going to have fulfil what Kilgore couldn’t!” With a clap of thunder, Tinky reached into the pocket of his suit and he pulled out a familiar remote.

Encased in gold, the remote was back. The single red button stuck out more than a sore thumb. In the possession of a god such as Tinky, especially with it being pointed directly towards Ted. He knew now that at the end of this, absolutely _no_ mercy was going to be involved. He was going to die. He’d run, but his legs were trembling, and he felt as if he were to put any pressure on them that he’d fall and be unable to get back up. He was going to die in front of Jenny, in front of Paul, in front of Erika, at the end of the official Time Bastard.

With the thumb hesitating over the button, Ted braced himself for the pain, for his legs to start disintegrating as he watched with Jenny, but it didn’t come. Instead, a gunshot sounded, and then another, and then another. Ted opened his eyes, removing his hands from his ears that had suddenly flown up, and watched as the teal eyes of T’Noy Karaxis glazed over, forming a plastic like effect. He gulped before falling face first on to the cold slabs of PEIP. Ted’s eyes looked upwards immediately to the door, where four figures stood.

The first had red hair that appeared to be freshly cut. Originally shoulder length, it was now swooped over to the right and gelled down, but not drastically. He had his hands braced on a younger boy’s shoulders, one with thick rimmed glasses, suspenders, and a bow tie. Beside them was a shorter man with flowing golden hair, and beside _him_ was another man in a vivid blue suit, his hair buzzed down to his scalp. The young boy looked at the man on the chair and his breath hitched. “Teddy?” He asked, and Ted stood slowly, Jenny assisting him in standing.

Ted hadn’t met his younger brother before. When Ollie was born, Ted was 18, already moved out and starting as much as a future that he could do. The baby had been put up for adoption, and Ted hadn’t thought twice about it. Now, his younger biological brother stood in front of him, and he was stunned. “Ollie?”

Ollie, the boy, nodded, and rushed forward as Ted held his arms out to him. He engulfed Ollie in a tight hug, holding him close. “Holy fuck, I never ever thought I’d get to meet you! And-and then dad says that-“

“I managed to locate you,” the man said, breathless. “Chadwick Carter,” he said in a small introduction, handing the gun he’d been wielding back to John. “Or…Colonel Chadwick Carter-Hidgens, if I dare use the surname. I worked alongside General Gareth Icacks and was a member of the original team of 1981, alongside Wilbur Cross, Colonel Alex Hill and Miss Holloway. Henry…” he said and sighed as John grabbed him a seat so he didn’t pass out. “He suggested kids. I was up for it, and Ollie fell into our care. We always told him the truth, and he wanted to find his brother.”

“And here we are!” Ollie said and looked up to Ted.

Ted looked to Chad and then back to Ollie. “Thank you for taking care of him. Thank you-“ he said and hugged Ollie again, tighter the second time, running a hand through his brother’s curly hair. “You don’t gotta stay with me. I don’t have much of a house…it’s covered in vodka cans…” he admitted. “Chad and Henry raised you.”

“And Henry is severely injured,” came John’s voice as he stepped into the room. “Ah, Paul, Emma, Ted and Jenny…this is Xander.” He said and replaced the bucket beside Emma’s bed, to which Paul smiled weakly, but thankfully. “Xander Lee, a member of the Hatchetfield Six.”

“What connection does he have to you?” Emma asked, looking past her husband to John, and John sighed.

“Marriage,” he said, and everyone’s eyes widened.

“Sorry?!” Emma blurted out, and John rolled his eyes.

“I was _just_ as shocked but…it makes sense.” He said and turned back to Xander. “Anyway…I have a warning to tell you all,” he said and grabbed a third chair, turning it around so the back was facing the bed, and he sat on it backwards, his hands on the back of the chair, his legs parted appropriately.

“I don’t think we signed up for a strip tease, John-“ Xander said, before dissolving into laughter, and John turned around, grabbing his own gun from his belt, aiming it directly at his husband.

“If you weren’t already dead, I’d shoot you! I won’t hesitate, bitch!”

“You would hesitate, you simp.”

“Why are you talking like that?” Jenny asked, furrowing her eyebrows, and John shook his head.

“Excuse him.” He said and kicked Tinky’s dead body, watching it roll over lifelessly. He laughed and sighed before looking to Paul and Emma. “This next round of, well, revival tactics…it includes Jane.”

“Jane…Perkins?” Emma asked, her voice lilting with a sense of hope, and John nodded.

“And in order for us to resolve this immediately, we need contacts to both Rebecca Barnes and Thomas Houston. We are in contact with Nurse Barnes through a colleague of mine’s older brother, you may know him?”

“Is it Benny Slate’s brother?” Paul asked, and John nodded.

“We just need to get a hold of your brother-in-law. Emma, is there any definite way for us to do this?” He asked, and Emma bit on her lip.

“Can you remove Paul’s old vomit bucket from the room first? Babe, I love you, but it’s gross.” Emma asked, and John kicked it towards Xander.

“Darling, make yourself useful.”

“Why me?!” Xander asked in protest, and John shrugged.

“You’re dead, you can’t smell anything.” John watched Xander hesitantly pick it up, and to mock him playfully, he blew a kiss before turning his head back around, Emma holding a small piece of paper out to him. John took it and nodded in thanks, moving the chair back to its original place. “Colonel Carter, I need assistance with-“

“On it,” Chad said, standing, wincing painfully.

“Dad…are you _sure_ you’re-“ Ollie started, and Chad waved dismissively, limping slightly.

“I’ve been cleared, son. Stay with your brother. I need to assist John.” He said and lifted the dead arm of T’Noy Karaxis up, John taking the other one up. Together, and slightly painfully, they dragged the body out.

Emma, confused as per usual, looked to Paul. “My…my sister’s coming back?” She asked, and Paul nodded.

“It seems that way…”

She sighed and lay back down, Paul shifting to lay beside her, brushing stray hairs out of her face. “Hey, it’ll be okay, babe. I promise.”

“You’re sure?”

Paul nodded and kissed her softly, until the door clattered open again. At the door stood a young girl with platinum white hair, wearing a headset. “Private, have you seen General McNamara? Or even Micah Icacks” She asked, hitting her headset again, blowing on the microphone attached.

Paul shook his head. “Unfortunately not, Ruth. I’ve been puking my guts up. Why?” He asked, and she sighed.

“Comms are down. Thanks anyway!” She said and offered a sort of smile before bolting from the room, a flash of brunette hair following after her.

“Ruth Yates and Louisiana Hartford-McNamara. That’ll be a story to tell one day,” Emma said and nuzzled up close to Paul.

* * *

What they hadn’t noticed was that there was a reason that comms were down. Located at Tony Green’s Body Shop, Tom Houston’s old Foxbody Mustang needed that little bit of extra repair. A shame really, for the host inside of it found it decent. The car revved it’s engine, and the soul inside of smirked.

Jane Perkins was coming back, no matter how many people she had to kill to succeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why is tinky an exact replica of andy kilgore? and why is the human form of wiggly the same as wilbur cross? and why is blinky the same as xander lee? well, you know what, homies i've planned it out. 
> 
> but that can wait until next week. 
> 
> hi im an andy kilgore stan account how r u
> 
> so essentially, drop me a comment about what ur thinking. head empty, andy kilgore! tinky design only. and also anakin skywalker. but that's different.


	16. I Come Right Back To You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An encounter with a certain family member goes wrong for Tom Houston
> 
> !!!!! JANE'S A CAR SPOILERS AHEAD DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN JANES A CAR !!!!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: tinky, mentions of voring, mentions of cannibalism, knives, stabbing, uh mentions of arson

Once they’d successfully disposed of the body of T’Noy Karaxis, and Colonel Carter saw himself back to the medical bay to continue recovering, it left John McNamara alone, perched just outside of his office, his husband beside him, though some sort of ghostly silhouette, he stood proud. The blonde-haired man pulled out a set of keys from his pocket, and in a quick walk, headed to his office. He pushed the key inside the lock, giving him access to the room inside. Together, both him and Xander made their way in, John heading straight for his desk. He looked over to the blue-suited man and took a breath. “You’ll need to leave soon.”

“Unfortunately,” came his voice with a slight echo. He crouched down beside him and took his hand. “I’m here for a reason,” he said, and John nodded.

“I’m aware. You don’t show up for any old reason.” He tapped on to the system and loaded up the necessary files, beginning to type out a report based on the sights he’d experienced that day.

“You need to _listen_ to me,” Xander said, placing his hand on John’s leg, and John hesitated. Xander could see it on his husband’s face. Thankfully, the general listened and obeyed the task, turning to him. “This is the penultimate revival task. Ethan and Ted have been revived, and Jane’s gonna be by the end of the day. This is important, listen-“

“I am…?” John said and furrowed his eyebrows, and Xander squeezed his leg carefully.

“You mustn’t go in the portal. If you go in that portal, you’re not coming back out.”

John laughed softly and shook his head. “You act as if I’m dumb, Zee. I know I’m blonde and all but-“

“I’m being serious.” He said, but he’d lost John’s attention entirely. He shut his eyes, sighing sadly, before rising from the floor. “I wish you all the luck, General McNamara…” he tried, but John didn’t hear him that time. Disappointed, he shook his head and allowed himself to fade back into The Black and White, where the eldritch gods seemed to be having their own discussion.

“Did you get shot?” Blinky asked as he sat proudly at the table, his legs kicked up on to it, turning to his older brother.

“Apparently so.” Tinky said and grabbed the glass from in front of him, downing the whiskey that had been placed there.

“Huh. Same.” Blinky said and took off his helmet, pointing to the pupil, which wasn’t moving like it should be. “Mr _Woodward_ took a gun and _bang!_ A bullet went straight through my eye. I mean, it’s _healing_ but it’s very inconvenient.”

Tinky shrugged and looked over to his other brother. “What about you?”

The green monster, who took shape of a teenaged version of his eldritch god form, with a tentacle mask covering his face, and his entire body covered in green fur, smiled. “Awson!” He said proudly, and the other gods shrugged.

“I got blown up…” Pokey added, playing with the rim of his glass, as Nibblenephim dished out more drinks.

The pink monster shrugged as the others turned to him. “Oh? How’d I die?” He asked, and his grin became murder. “Lets just…put it down to fate.”

“Cannibalism.” Tinky said, and a collective mutter of agreement came from around the table.

“Wha- _no!”_ Nibbly suddenly became defensive, and in unison, the other gods turned back to their brother.

“Cannibalism.”

“Okay, no, _think_ about it!” Blinky said and stood. “It’s fairly fucking reasonable because, _because_ we’re all connected to our plans somehow. Wiggly nuked Russia and started a war. Then _he_ got lit on fire in return. My Elsie got hit in the face with a mallet and her and Venus got ran over. So _I_ got shot. Tinky…you’re just a bit of a dick.”

“Understandable.” Tinky shrugged acceptingly and took another sip of his drink.

“And Pokey’s meteor blew up The Starlight Theatre and _he_ got bombed! So, Nibbly, your face in doll form _is_ a mouth…it’d make sense.”

“No! Wait! I cracked it!” Pokey said and stood, pointing at his older brother. “Webby’s a spider! Webby vored him!” The group laughed, and Nibbly seemed personally offended.

“Why would our own _sister_ do that?!” He asked, and the rest of the group continued to laugh.

“Voreman, voreman, voreman-“ the group began to chant, and from the side of the realm, Xander pinched the bridge of his nose, turning his back on the table.

_John, I can’t take this much longer. Please make tomorrow come quicker._

* * *

At Tony Green’s Body Shop, three figures emerged from the apartment sector of the building. Tony had his arm wrapped around Ethan protectively, and Lex walked out beside her boyfriend. Since being discharged by PEIP _literally_ half an hour ago, Tony hadn’t hesitated to come and take the two back to his place so they could relax. Since Ethan returned, everything had been more chaotic than not, and Tony only wished for his son to remain relaxed. He’d had a bad run, and he didn’t want Ethan to follow in his footsteps.

Funnily enough, on the way out of PEIP, Tom had been complaining that the radio on his Foxbody needed that little bit of extra work, so Tony had driven that home instead of his own battered car, that Ethan took. Now, they were stood outside the familiar car that had almost killed Tony, and if it hadn’t been for Ethan then…well. It was clearly setting the younger kid on edge as they shifted their weight onto their left leg instead of his right. Tony noticed, like every good father should.

“Hey, kiddo.” He said and turned Ethan to face him. “It won’t hurt ya.”

“But it hurt _you…_ ” He said, biting his lip. “I-I don’t know dad; I don’t trust it…”

“I know you don’t, but Houston wants his car fixed. He’s still mourning Jane…”

“I know where Jane is, though. And she ain’t as good as people made her out to be.” He said and shifted on his feet again.

Lex sighed and let her hand slip from Ethan’s, approaching the car. “Look, babe. I get you’re concerned and all, but it’s a car, isn’t it? What bad can a _car_ do?” She asked, opening the door and getting in, ignoring Ethan’s anxious look that appeared on their face. She flicks on the radio, and relaxed into the driver’s seat when she heard some smooth music that came out from it. She poked her head out the window and beamed. “See, Ethan! Just relax, babe!” She said, and tried to get him to relax, but clearly, she spoke too soon. She knocked the radio with her arm, and suddenly, a tape began to play.

_“And that is when I came into possession of this strange Black Book. Within its pages, burial rights, spells, incantations-“_

Lex whacked the stereo after noticing how fucked up the button that was used to change the channels was pretty much dead. Instead of it stopping, it cut in and out to a different part in the cassette.

_“To worship these Lords in Black. Pokotho, T’Noy Karaxis, Nibblenephim and Wiggog Y’Wrath.”_

Lex kicked the centre console, and it became too much for Ethan. He rushed forward and grabbed her arm through the window. “Lexi, _stop.”_ He pleaded and looked her in the eyes. However, she didn’t seem to think of it being as big of a deal as it was, for she thumped the stereo once more, and the smooth music began to play in its place.

“And _that’s_ how you hit it!” She said and smiled, pleased with herself.

Ethan shook his head, his breath hitching in his chest. She wasn’t taking this seriously. He’d come back from the dead, and now he had to face the consequences of seeing his girlfriend act so recklessly around the car; the car that was going to kill Becky if he wasn’t quick enough.

“Jeez, Tone. If you were gonna rebuild this junkheap, then why didn’t you give it a new stereo?” Lex asked, kicking her feet back up on to the dashboard, shaking her arm free from Ethan’s.

“Because Tom didn’t _want_ a new stereo. He wanted it exactly how it was before the crash. Or…as _close_ to how it was before the crash.” Tony said and walked closer to Ethan, and upon noticing how pale he’d gotten, took his son’s arm. “Kiddo?”

Ethan shook his head, gripping his jacket tight in his hands. He was pale and shaking. He wanted, no, _needed_ Lex to get to safety, and if she wouldn’t listen to him then what was the point in trying to get the point across to her how dangerous this car truly was? It wasn’t just some car that Jane Perkins died in. This car was now haunted by the soul of the psychiatrist, and the car could kill. “It’s just a little…freaky-deaky…” he said weakly, and Tony sighed.

“I’ll give Tom a ring to say that the car’s ready for collection. Lex, you gotta get out. Eef, head inside, son.” Tony said, and Ethan’s face washed over with relief. The younger kid turned and ran inside. Tony stayed, waiting for Lex to get out of the car, and eventually, she did.

“Is…is he okay?” Lex asked Tony as they turned their backs to the car.

“He’s…a little shaken up. He ain’t been himself since he came back from, ya know. The dead. He ain’t willin’ to speak about what he saw, what he experienced yet, and it’s not like I’m gonna force him to do that. That’s for him to say in his own time.”

“I’m just worried about him…” she said and looked inside the small apartment, and Tony nodded.

“Me too, Lex. Me too…” Tony shook his head, as did she, and together, they began to walk inside. However, there was a familiar rev of the engine, and his eyes widened. He spun on the back of his worn-down boot and saw the headlights of the car on, and it was slowly rolling forward. His breathing hitched, similar as to how Ethan’s had moments prior, and he swallowed thickly. He found himself unable to move, and his eyes remained focused on the car. He thought he had more time.

Just as he was about to be crushed under the wheels of the old mustang, a bright green flash of light came from the corner of his eye, and he managed to divert his gaze to Ethan, who had a hold of the car from the back. His eyes were a neon green, and beads of tears fell from the younger kid’s eyes. “Go,” he suggested, but Tony and Lex both remained frozen. “GO!” He shouted a second time, and though shellshocked, Tony carefully assisted Lex inside.

He drew the curtains, blocking out the green light Ethan was producing, and sat Lex down on the couch. A few minutes went by, and they felt like a few hours, but Ethan came back inside, tears falling down his face more, and he headed straight for his dad. Tony opened his arms and stood up, Ethan charging into them. The younger teen wrapped their arms around his father’s body and gripped him tightly. Tony took to bunching some of Ethan’s hair up in his hand, holding his kid close to him. He let Ethan sob it out, unsure of what to say, or how to comfort him, and shot Lex a glance. Lex seemed to get the memo, for she stood up and walked out the room, ringing a certain number that gave her direct access to the team.

_“PEIP Headquarters, this is Jonathan McNamara speaking. How may I assist you?”_

“Hey John,” she started and took a breath. “We got a problem. You think I can pick up an extra shift?”

* * *

Across town, unaware of what had just happened, Becky Barnes pulled up in the passenger seat of a 1987 Pontiac Firebird. Her old friend, Miss Holloway, sat beside her, taking a notepad from the inside of the dashboard. She tugged on the collar of her loose denim jacket and sighed, pulling a brush through her wild red hair. She checked her appearance in the mirror of her car and applied more lip-gloss before turning back to Becky. “I’m so sorry I ruined your date, Beck. But this is really, _really_ important in terms of The Hatchetfield Six.”

“It ain’t a problem!” She said and smiled sweetly. “It’s to do with Jane and…and as much as _I_ want Tom…she was his wife first. And I gotta respect a connection like that.” Her smiled faded slightly to fit with an uncertain balance between upset and acceptance. Holloway placed her hand on Becky’s shoulder.

“It’ll be hard, but he’ll make the right choice. _Trust_ me.” She said and smiled, swinging her head back to look to the backseat, where Duke sat, a sleeping Hannah leaning against him. “You’ll be okay, won’t you?” She asked, and Duke smiled.

“Of course I will, darlin’. Now be safe.”

“When am I not, Dukey?” She asked and smiled, leaning over to peck him on the lips, before exiting the car, Becky following in tow. “But I _do_ need to get you, Tom and Tim to the safety of PEIP’s borders as soon as possible.”

“I wish it didn’t have to be like this, Holly…” Becky said, putting her hands in her coat pocket, and Holloway nodded.

“I understand. But…it’s for all our protection. For all our sakes.” She nodded certainly and opened the doors to Pizza Pete’s, tuning into Tom and Tim’s conversation.

“But you _are_ intimate.”

“Intimate? Do you know what that means?” Tom asks in a slightly sterner tone, but Tim merely shrugged.

“It’s what Uncle Paul says.” He laughed softly and ran a hand over his darkening blonde hair. “He said it on Black Friday when you went to go get the drill press.”

“Hey, Uncle Paul is a geek who needs to keep his mouth shut. And that drill press was important!”

“Sure, sure.” Tim nodded, leaning back in his chair, spotting the two women. “Am…Dad, am I spotting double?”

Tom looked straight to the door and cleared his throat. “Excuse this, Tim. Adult stuff,” he said as Holloway and Becky approached them both. “Holloway?”

“I need to disrupt yours and Becky’s gathering. Your lives are at stake.” Holloway said bluntly, and Tim rolled his eyes.

“Wow. What a way to be subtle.” He said and sighed, looking to Becky. “Hi, Beck!”

“Hey, Timmy.” She said and smiled. “I’ll be there too, Tom. But…it’s about…Jane.” She said as quietly as possible, and she watched as some of the colour drained from Tom’s eyes. “It’s regarding the HF6. Jane…she’s tryna come back. John’s specifically requested that we get there. It’s to keep you safe…” she said and watched as Tom’s gruff expression sterned more.

“Ya know, dad, I think we should go with the crazy lady with the crazy hair.” Tim said, adjusting his beanie.

Tom sighed and looked from Becky, back to Tim, and then to Holloway. “You owe me one, Holloway. _Big time.”_ He hissed and stood up, grabbing his coat. “Tim!”

“On it!” Tim said and jumped up, looking up to Becky.

“I’ll take your car, Tom. Duke’s with Hannah in the back of Holly’s.” Becky smiled, and reached for Tom’s hand, but he didn’t reach for hers like he usually would. Her eyes dropped to the floor and she coughed into her sleeve, dropping her hand to her side.

“Then we’d better go,” he said, and walked out of Pizza Pete’s. Both Tim and Becky shared an equally confused look with each other before walking out to the car, Holloway following shortly behind them. Becky, once clipped inside of the car, wanted desperately to talk to Tim about the incident, but he’d already started driving the car. Only when Tim had his headphones in did he speak. “Tony called. Said the car had somethin’ wrong with it. That it was givin’ Ethan the heebie-jeebies. I don’t want Ethan hurting because of my car, Beck.”

“What happened?” She asked and looked at him. Tom took a deep breath and shrugged.

“One minute, she was in park. The next, she was rolling forward, and if it weren’t for Ethan who put it back into park, Tony and Lex would have both been crushed. But I got a feeling Tony’s lying about that last part.” Tom shook his head and ran a hand over his beard. “And if this son of a bitch hurts Tim then, well. I love the car, but she’s going straight to the dump. I ain’t risking my son’s life for a car…again.” He said and sighed as he turned the left, heading straight to PEIP’s walls, the familiar disguised base coming into view. “Anyway…we better find McNamara, hey?”

She shrugged, and after knowing Tom wasn’t mad at her, she relaxed. “I guess so.”

* * *

They eventually found McNamara and co. after following Holloway through the winding halls, Duke carrying a sleeping Hannah in his arms still. The night was crawling in, and when they approached the room, Tom noticed how distraught Ethan was. “Ethan?” He asked, and he flinched.

“Kiddo, it’s just Mr Houston. It’s alright.” Tony said, still trying to calm him down, but they remained teary and shaking. He looked up to Tom and shook his head.

“Take a seat, Tom.” John said as he sat at his desk, loading up a document, and, without looking up, gave a thumbs up to someone who he couldn’t see. A red light turned on on his computer, and he started to speak. “The time is currently…1900 hours, more specifically 07:57 in the PM. I am here, present, with myself, General McNamara, Tom Houston, Tim Houston, Rebecca Barnes, Tony Green, Ethan Green, Lex Foster, Hannah Foster, Douglas Keane and Miss Holloway. Monitoring this recording is my daughter, Private Louisiana McNamara.” He said and looked to the men. “We’re here to discuss Jane Perkins.”

At the name, Ethan sobbed fearfully, and Tony held him closer. “It’s all to do with the car.” He explained, rubbing Ethan’s back, shushing him softly. “Without Ethan, I was workin’ on the car for a year and a half, since the accident, but bigger issues like The Monroes and The Lowerys came in, offering real high prices…and no offence Tom, but I needed that money. So, I was workin’ on the car, and then she starts rollin’ forward. Ethan saved my life the first time. Earlier today, as I was fixin’ up the radio, this tape started playing after Lex toyed around with it.”

“Okay- I didn’t _mean_ to turn it on! It just did!” The teen sighed and looked at her nails. “And it mentioned something about a ‘Black Book’?”

“And five names…uh, Pokotho, Bliklotep, T’Noy Karaxis, Nibblenephim, and Wiggog T’Wrath?”

“Wiggog Y’Wrath…” John corrected, creating a digital copy.

“So I restored the car to its fullest- I mean, it’s a vintage, she’s 33 years old, and I was gonna contact Tom to ask if he’d be willin’ to give her up to a buddy of mine who’s invested in…and then the car starts rollin’ forward again, and it almost takes Lex down with me. Ethan…he’s been like this ever since…”

“Cuz it ain’t a car! It’s Jane’s soul _in_ the car- why don’t you believe me?!” He sobbed helplessly. “I know where she is, I had to live with her in the realm! She ain’t a good person!”

“Ethan-“ Tony said and squeezed him gently. “But then I realised that the car meant a lot to Jane, and also a lot to Tom. I mean, if anything happened to Ethan again…I don’t know what I’d do…” he laughed and held Ethan slightly tighter. “And he’s just…he’s so distraught…”

“Tone, it ain’t your fault…he went through something traumatic.” Tom said finally, looking at him. “And yet, he trusts you.”

“Wow. Feel like that’s a dig at me. That is anti-cool, dad. Anti-cool.” Tim said and tutted, shaking his head. “Can I go get food?”

“Yeah, I’ll go take you. Come on, buddy,” Lex said, and she almost seemed to be relieved to get out of there. Once the kids were gone, the taping continued.

“It wasn’t a dig at Tim, by the way,” Tom said and looked at John.

John nodded, continuing to speak. “And the car moved forward on its own?”

“I swear to all that’s holy, and all that’s in the sky, the car was in _park.”_ Tony said, his voice desperate, and John nodded.

“I understand. But-“ John was cut off by the sudden clattering of the door, Jenny Wilkinson stood there, breathless. “Ms Wilkinson, there is an active meeting in progress-“

“Uh, yeah, I’m aware…but I’m also aware of a knife wielding uh…I think Emma said her name was Jane Perkins, in med?” She said and furrowed her eyebrows. “And I’m aware of this because Ted got stabbed!”

John immediately sprung into action. He looked to the side of the wall, pointing upwards. “McNamara, Slate, down by me. Armed. Yates, get through to Icacks. And if you can, through to Alex Hill as well!” He said before bursting from the room, only to run back in. “I’m so sorry. The place is going on lockdown.” He ran back out the room, meeting up with Benny and Lou, ensuring their guns were drawn, as Ruth sent out a message to the entire precinct that they’d be on lockdown until further notice.

The three of them ran to med where they found their suspect holding Paul upright, Jenny trying to negotiate with the woman. Jane Perkins had always been seen to be so friendly, and she’d been bathed in an ethereal light for so, so long, making out that she was one of the better people that the island had encountered. But now, with icy blue eyes, and a crazed smile, it was hard to believe it, especially considering she also had a knife pressed to Paul’s throat.

The office worker whimpered as Emma sat herself bolt upright. “Jane, _please,_ Paul didn’t hurt me!”

“Of course he did, Emma!” She said and snapped her neck to look at her younger sister. “Jesus Christ, he’s only here to get in your pants! A careless bastard like himself doesn’t want a girl like you!”

“You dated Tom _fucking_ Houston, and _I’m_ the careless one?! Oh, okay.”

“You didn’t show to the wedding.” She said bitterly, and Emma laughed at her sister.

“Weddings are bullshit. I was off getting hammered in Guatamala!”

“Always, always had to be different, didn’t you?!” She snarled, pressing the cold blade to Paul’s neck more.

While they were distracted, John pulled out his gun, and instead of filling it with bullets, grabbed a couple of specialised tranquiliser ones that’d do the job equally as well without the worry of killing Jane. Lou looked at him and her eyes widened. “John, what are you doing?!” She hissed, and John held out the small handgun in front of him, closing his left eye for a more precise shot.

_Bang. Bang. Bang._

Jane dropped to the floor, unconscious, and Paul crumpled on the floor. The knife that she’d obtained slid under the bed, and Paul scrambled back beside Emma. “Sorry, Emma…”

“You didn’t mean for it to happen,” she said and kissed him softly as she looked at John, who was blowing smoke off the edge of his gun.

“Thank you, Alexander Lee.” He said and slid the gun back down. “Slate, I’m gonna need an extra bed in with Emdroid and Paul 23. Ensure that the enforcements attached are strong enough to hold down a grown woman.” He said, and slate nodded. “Oh, and Ben? Tell Ruth we’re out of lockdown!”

“Got it, sir!” He said before rushing back out the room.

John shook his head and walked over to his two other agents. “Are you two okay?”

“I’m fine, Paul’s shaken but…I’m _shaking_ woah…” Emma said and laughed. “Uh…I’m trying to be okay, I guess, and Jane-“

“It’s overwhelming, I understand.” John said and nodded, grimacing as he noticed the blood on the floor. “I take it Ted was taken to med?”

“He’s in another room, yeah.” Emma confirmed, nodding. “Jane just-she appears _out_ of thin air and then suddenly, oh no! Stabby stabby! And then she grabs Paul and almost _murders_ him! Like come on, dude. We’ve literally almost been murdered once today. I would _like_ a break!”

“Em…” Paul said and despite his nerves, chuckled.

“I’m being honest babe. I need a second honeymoon after this is all over.”

“We’ll get a second honeymoon,” Paul said and kissed her cheek. “You can go, General McNamara. Thank you.”

John nodded and looked to Louisiana, walking over to her. “Private!”

“Yes sir!” She said and followed him out, rushing to catch up to his pace. There was a slight silence between them, before John broke it.

“You and Ruth?”

“I’m not doing this, dad.”

“Ruth Yates?”

“Seriously. We’re _just_ friends.”

“Benny told me otherwise.”

“Yeah? Well Benny is a dick.”

“But do you like her?” He asked and watched her.

“I mean-“ she sighed. “Okay, we do flirt. A lot. But she is a _raging_ lesbian and holy _fuck_ she is so hot, and I can’t tell if she’s flirting or being nice. I flirt with her.”

John laughed softly and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll end up together, sweetheart.”

“I sure as shit hope so…”

Together, they both walked back into the other room, where Ethan had calmed and managed to fall asleep. John smiled gently at the scene and took his seat, pulling up a chair for his daughter. “Jane’s sedated. She’ll be in med. She tried to murder Paul.”

“See, dad! Paul isn’t a geek like you said! Especially if mom tried to murder him!” Tim piped up, and Tom shook his head.

“Buddy…people don’t usually have a murder basis unless they’re fucked in the head.” He said and looked to John. “Thank you, sir.”

“It isn’t a problem. Now, it is getting late, and I do suggest you all head home or to bed. I can set up some rooms for you here. I take it Ethan won’t be moving too far.” He chuckled softly.

“I think we’ll all stay here tonight,” Becky said with a polite smile, and John nodded.

“Come on, Lou. Let’s get these rooms set up, and then we’re going home.”

Lou nodded and left the room with her father leaving a very quiet and still room. That should have been a good thing. For Hannah Foster, though, the twitching of her face while she slept became more and more pained. Nightmare Time was approaching faster than she could stop it. Nightmare Time was now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sibling banter. bets nibblenephim actually got decked and his brothers made fun of him for life. anyways, poor ethan, and also poor hannah. 
> 
> shit's going down.


	17. It's All In Your Mind (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannah has to be brave as she faces the most difficult challenge that she has ever had to in her lifetime
> 
> !!!! WITCH IN THE WEB SPOILERS DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN WITCH IN THE WEB !!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think we've gathered i'm incredibly terrible at summaries anyways enjoy these, uh, set of chapters and uh,,, yeah i'm sorry for what's to come-

Ever since she was a little girl, Hannah Foster had been told she was different. She had to watch Lexi crying a lot of the time, and Hannah didn’t understand why. She remembered, when she was six, that her, Ethan and Lexi had been sitting in the doctor’s office. Lexi had started crying when the doctor said she had _autism_ whatever that was. She remembered Ethan telling her that it was okay, and Lexi had said she’d been crying out of relief, or something.

Hannah didn’t have many friends. The only one she really had was Webby. Webby was a very pretty girl when she wanted to be. She had pale skin sometimes and long white hair. Depending on if she was in the good or the bad, her appearance differed. When she was in the good, her eyes were a soft yellow, and her dress she wore was also white. The details were embroidered in soft silver silk that formed webs on the bottom of the skirt. In the bad, she had darker skin and orange eyes. Her white hair was no longer straight then, more curled, and her white dress formed to have red detailing at the bottom of it. Webby said it was because the floor of The Black and White in the bad was made of the blood of her brothers’ victims, and that’s why her dress appeared stained then.

Webby taught her songs. Webby told her songs as she sang. Hannah would sit on the small mushroom-like chairs Webby had in her castle. The good was ethereal. It had light-grey bricked walls to protect them from the dark, from the bad. On the inside of those walls, long green vines with small rainbow-coloured flowers grew off of the branches, from roses to daisies. Hannah’s favourite was a pink one with a bright yellow centre. She didn’t know what it was called, and neither did Webby, but they were very pretty. Webs also lined the walls of the good. Webby was still half spider, and therefore, on the exterior and by the door, were webs, to protect any others from intruders otherwise known as anyone who lived in the bad. The floor of the good took form of a light blue reflective pool that rippled in welcoming waves. It allowed Hannah to look down and see the real world when she was there. It was a source of comfort.

Webby only had a quarter of The Black and White that she was able to keep for herself. Her brothers, who chose evil over good, had the advantage of the larger space, and they all had a separate sector themselves. The main area, with the meeting table, and where the original humans lived, had blood smothered on the walls. When a new soul entered The Black and White, their blood would drip down, and the floor would get that little bit higher. There wasn’t much but compared to how big the realm was and how much blood that was currently on the floor…it was still quite a lot.

The Gods got their own sectors as well. Wiggly’s sector had thick, dark green walls that bordered it. On the left of it was a train station. The floor was made of the same blood, just watered down more. PEIP’s portal was in that sector, considering a past attempt from Black Friday went disastrous in placing the portal directly in Wiggly’s eyeline. There wasn’t much else in the sector, aside from The Sniggles, who’d often pass time by playing card games or starting fights with each other.

Blinky’s own sector was _not_ actually in The Black and White. In fact…only Wiggly’s was. Their sectors were inside The Black and White, but at the same time, accessible from the outside of the forbidden realm if accessed correctly. His sector _was_ Watcher World. With the bright yellow eye at the entrance, and the various different paths and buildings, it was essential for Blinky to guard Hatchetfield in that manor. Personally, to him, the mirror maze was his favourite place, especially considering that he had the view of everything and everyone from in there.

Tinky’s sector _couldn’t_ be accessed from the outside world unless he specifically chose someone to access it himself. It took shape as the ornate golden box with intricate details on the outside of it, that twisted when he touched it. On the inside of the box was what truly shone. The inside of the box was protected by golden walls, and the lower platform of the box had the structure of a maze with the same-coloured walls that kept them from escaping. In the centre of the maze was a golden portal which could only be accessed by Tinky himself. Within that portal was a small globe that held the souls of the innocent, the evil, the dead and the unborn. The second layer had soft yellow marbling upon it, and on that structure was a golden throne with a yellow cushion. To the side of the throne was a sceptre. The second platform allowed Tinky to watch all his victims suffer for eternity and ensure no funny business was going on. To put it nicely, if anyone tried escaping if they found the portal…their souls vanished from existence entirely.

Nibblenephim refused to show his sector to anyone, and therefore, it currently remained a mystery. Pokey’s, though, was home to most citizens of Hatchetfield. When he was choosing his physical sector, he wanted it something homely and memorable to those attached to it. So, he chose The Starlight Theatre. Whenever a new show was on, he was able to monitor what was happening through the cameras inside of it. He had to find _the_ best person to cherish his soul. During The Apotheosis, he’d debated choosing Samuel Lowery as his victim, considering he _never_ missed a musical at the Starlight, but the irony of Paul Matthews was too good to resist.

Hannah knew this. Hannah knew to avoid the certain areas in Hatchetfield that’d alarm her in such a manner, that’d give the gods the satisfaction they so desperately needed. But there was one area she’d been warned of that she couldn’t avoid, and that was the Hatchetfield Witchwood.

The Witchwood had first came to Hannah’s attention when Webby sang her a song about it. Webby sang a lot of songs, and Hannah loved Webby’s songs, but some of them were frightening. The Witchwood was as it said. A witch lived in the wood, and the trees weren’t trees. Hannah needed to be warned to stay away, and she tried to avoid it…but the trailer park was directly on the outskirts of it, which didn’t make things easy at all. She could hear the whispers of the trees at night, the cackle of the witch, and the only way to block out the noises was to sing Webby’s song.

The first time she’d heard it, it had shortly been after Black Friday 2018. Lexi had had a bad day, as she usually did at Toy-Zone, and things had felt slightly off for her. Nothing had happened though. In her sleep, she’d been transported back to The Black and White and had sat on her mushroom styled stool as Webby sat in front of her, her ginormous form of a spider merged to the girl Hannah was familiar of seeing. She crouched in the water and smiled at Hannah. “You’re home.”

“Hi, Webby.” She said, placing her ukulele on her lap. “Back in the white.”

“Back in the white.” She said and examined the ukulele. “That’s a very nice guitar you got there, Hannah.”

Hannah hummed and nodded. “Small guitar. Lexi got it for me.” She said and plucked on the strings. “Black Friday.”

“It was Black Friday today…” she said and held her hands out to her. “May I? I have an important message to tell you.” Hannah, though reluctant, gave the ukulele over. It fit neatly into Webby’s arms, and she smiled gently. “Remember, Hannah. You have all the power in the universe. Just like me.” She strummed gently on the ukulele’s strings and began to sing. “ _The witch in the web wants power. Power over you. From the heights of her lonely tower, she flies at the early dew. I can hold her just for so long in the web I spin and loom. But a witch is a witch if you allow her to have power over you…”_

* * *

_“The witch in the web is scary but only in your mind. Many children she has buried, their memories are mine. I tell you this for a reason, just you and your guitar. A witch becomes a coward when you remember who you are. The witch in the web is ancient, that means I know her well. She certainly tests my patience from her black and white cell. I could throw away the keys now, but that’s not me, oh no. You see a witch is a witch for a reason, until you let her go.”_

That was the song playing in Hannah’s mind all night. She could see what was going to happen. The twisting silhouette figures of trees that danced and screamed out in pain, some looking to her sympathetically. She couldn’t stop walking, and when she did, she was in front of an old witch’s hut. She’d been warned about this. She called out for Webby, and Webby had been walking towards her, picking up her skirt in a run. She wasn’t in the white anymore; she was in the black. She was in the bad part and, decidedly, she hated it. She watched as Webby ran to grab her, to bring her back to the good, when an unfamiliar figure with grey skin wearing a deep black outfit pounced on her. Webby fell, fell, further and further through the blood until there was no Webby left. No more Webby to protect her.

She awoke at home in her own bed, screaming. She remembered the night all too well. It was too vivid. She was screaming, and tears immediately started streaming from her face, and concerned footsteps ran up the stairs in her new house. No trailer park. It didn’t mean that Nightmare Time couldn’t get her. Holloway and Duke lived on the outskirts of The Witchwood too. The Witchwood was one of the most northern points on the island, and they just happened to live by it. Why couldn’t they live in the south by the Nantucket Bridge, or by PEIP? Why there?

The door to her bedroom flew open, and she was soon wrapped up in Duke’s arms, and she couldn’t hold back. She was terrified. Nightmare Time was too soon, very soon. Now. Nightmare Time was now. No Webby, all Nightmare Time. She was trying to ground herself. She could hear _Morning Cup O’ News with Dan and Donna_ on downstairs like it usually was, with Dan Reynolds and Donna Degot. Apart from that, and the reassurance of being in Duke’s arms, there was nothing. No Webby, all Nightmare Time.

She heard the whispers from the forest. The whispers from the Witchwood, as if it were waking up and calling out to her. Webby hadn’t warned her of that. Only of The Witch. She could hear the trees whispering, and she sobbed louder, her hands clasping her ears as she tried to rock herself in Duke’s lap. She looks to the end of her bed where her ukulele lies. The ukulele Webby played but now…now it’s black. She screamed out sobbing louder, curling up tightly.

“Hannah, it’s alright sweetheart. What’s goin’ on?” Duke asked, rubbing her back, but she shook hard in his arms.

“Nightmare Time!” She managed to say between sobs, and Duke looked up to Holloway, who shifted uneasily.

“What do you mean?” Duke asked, his eyes lingering on his girlfriend for a short while before turning back to Hannah.

“No Webby! Webby gone! The witch! The witch got Webby! Ukulele white! Ukulele black!”

Holloway’s eyes advanced to the ukulele at the foot of Hannah’s bed, and her eyes widened slightly. Unlike the rest of the group at PEIP yesterday, Holloway had chosen to take Hannah home so she could wake up in a familiar environment, while Lex chose to stay with Tony and Ethan. She understood how much of a disturbance it could cause if Hannah’s routine was disrupted, but if she’d have known about Nightmare Time…”Her ukulele was white.” She said and looked to Duke.

“What does this mean?” He asked her and, Holloway turned the collar of her jean jacket upwards, running her fingers through her hair. She sighed. “We’ve gotta get to PEIP. Now.” Duke nodded and lifted Hannah up carefully, Holloway leaving the room with the ukulele in hand. They both ran down to the 1987 Pontiac Firebird, Duke sitting in the back with Hannah in his lap as Holloway sped southwards. Speeding downwards did come with consequences and, to their disappointment, did get pulled over by a car. Duke swore and Hannah trembled in his arms more, her sobbing becoming quieter. Holloway didn’t fear a thing, rolling down her window calmly, as the face of Samuel Lowery walked up to the window.

“Ma’am, do you understand why you’ve been pulled over today?” Sam asked, flipping the cover of his notepad over.

She smiled sweetly and looked directly at him. “Of course I do, officer.”

“I wouldn’t be smilin’ like that if I were you, darlin’.” He said and bared his own grin, but she tilted her head.

“I wouldn’t be throwing around pet names in public if _I_ were you. It would be a shame for your wife to find out, wouldn’t it?” She said softly, and the grin on his face faded. “Sam Lowery, was it?”

He hesitated before speaking. “You don’t know me.”

“No, I don’t. You’re right there, officer,” she said and smiled sweetly again. “But I do know about your failing marriage and about the consistent affair with Zoey Martins, is it?” Her voice was becoming melodic, and she could see the effect it was having on Sam.

“You know _shit,_ lady.”

“You’ve got a date with your wife this afternoon if I’m not mistaken. _Cuddle night_? Wouldn’t it be a shame if her husband couldn’t stay awake during sex? You’d be an embarrassment to the island! I can see it in your eyes. Heck, it must be a battle to keep those things open. Staying up every night sleeping with someone ten years younger…it must be exhausting for someone like you. You wanna sleep, don’t you? You overslept your alarm and debated calling in sick.”

“Yeah…yeah that’s right…” Sam admitted, placing his shades on his face, not realising they wouldn’t make a difference to Holloway’s plans.

“With Charlotte sleeping well, and Zoey as well, then you can rest too. Deeply, peacefully. Isn’t that what you want?”

His head now struggling to stay atop of his neck, the cop nodded. “Uh huh.”

“So, why don’t you go park your car on the side of the road right there and let me, my boyfriend and my daughter go work?”

“Okay…you’re free to go, free of charge…” the man said, stumbling over to the car, getting in, and it wasn’t long before his head hit the steering wheel. Holloway waited and ensured he was asleep for definite before rolling her window back up, speeding off once more.

Duke had watched in awe. He couldn’t explain the things that Holloway could do, but even then, she left him amazed. He shook his head and managed to smile at her, cradling Hannah close to his side. “I think I’m in love with you, Holly. You know that?”

Holloway merely shrugged and flashed him a grin in the mirror. “I wouldn’t blame you.” She pulled up to the military base and parked her car, motioning for Duke to follow her inside. She picked up her walk to a slow jog and knocked on John’s office.

“Good morning, Miss Holloway.” The voice of the younger general came.

She pushed down on the handle and walked inside, holding the door open with her foot for her boyfriend and daughter. Duke took one seat, keeping Hannah protectively in his lap before Holloway locked the door to John’s office, sitting down beside him. “Sir, we got a problem.” She placed the ukulele, that had been on the inside of her jacket, on the desk in front of him.

“How did that fit in your jacket pocket?” Duke asked, his voice a whisper.

She shrugged. “I have my ways.” She looked forward as John’s eyes skimmed over the instrument and clicked a few more things into his keyboard before lifting it up, addressing it fondly. “Lex gave Hannah the ukulele on the past Black Friday. It was white, and I know it was white. I see it every day when I go to wake her up.”

“This instrument is black, Holloway…” he said and furrowed his eyebrows, sliding the ukulele carefully over to his former mentor. “What are you inferring?”

“She switched ‘em.” Hannah said finally, her voice small. “Cuz Nightmare Time is gonna get me…”

John tilted his head and looked to the younger girl, pushing his chair under his desk more to get closer to her. “Hannah…can you tell me what Nightmare Time is?”

She shook her head. “Only Webby can. But Webby went away.”

At the sound of the name, which served no significance to John, Holloway froze, the name striking her. “Hannah…is Webby a…spider?” She asked, and Hannah sniffled.

“Big white spider. Long legs. Yellow eyes. Sometimes she’s a girl. And she used to sing to me. Sings warnings. I have to play her songs every night or I’ll forget them. Gotta play them on my ukulele! Not my ukulele!”

“Shhh….” Duke said and cradled his daughter closer to him. “Shh darlin’, me and Holly are gonna make it all better.” He looked desperately to Holloway, and then to John. Almost telepathically, the pair shared a thought, and John nodded.

“Keep Hannah comfortable, go find Lex and Ethan. I want you all in XLJ-214 tonight. I’ll ensure it’s set up appropriately. Duke, you can’t come with us, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t get your shit anyway, it’s fine.” He shrugged.

* * *

That night, Holloway took Hannah’s hand and guided her to the laboratory with a black plaque over the top of it that read _XLJ-214._ She took a breath and squeezed Hannah’s hand softly. “It’s gonna be okay sweetheart. Momma promises.” She pushed open the doors and looked around. For a considerably deserted room in PEIP, John had somehow managed to get it to spring to life, and it was clear even in the dark lighting. There were beanbags set on the floor, a table behind them. John was sat on one of the beanbags, placing a candle on the table. When he turned back around, he smiled at the girls. “Come in, come in,” he said, and Holloway nodded.

“Go on, Hannah. It’s okay,” she reassured. Her daughter walked inside and sat on the yellow beanbag, still clutching her guardian’s hand tightly. Once Holloway had sat down and taken out a pack of matches from her pocket, John needed to her, and she lit one, placing the flame on the wick of the candle. Immediately, the light became illuminated in a soft orange glow. Holloway turned back to Hannah and took a breath. “What me and John are gonna say are things you can’t tell anyone. Not Lexi, not Duke.”

“Ethan?” Hannah asked, squeaking nervously, and Holloway paused, looking to John for advice.

“From current records, Ethan’s involved with The Black and White and remains part of the fabric that builds up the layers. You can tell Ethan, but _only_ Ethan.” He said, and Hannah nodded, looking back to her guardian.

“So, you say there’s a witch in Nightmare Time, and she wants to get you?” She asked, and Hannah nodded. “Well, I got somethin’ to tell you.” She said and squeezed Hannah’s hand gently. “ _I’m_ a witch too.”

“A good witch?” She asked, her shoulders tensing, suddenly nervous to be around Holloway, and Holloway nodded.

“Most of the time, yes, I am.”

“Is John?”

John chuckled softly and shook his head, his blonde hair swaying in his face. “Goodness, no. But, I do have connections with The Black and White.”

Hannah nodded, and Holloway started speaking again. “Tell me, Hannah,” she said as John reached into the bag he’d bought in the room, passing her the item. “Have you ever seen this? In Nightmare Time?” Holloway opened it up, and Hannah physically recoiled. Underneath layers of fabric was a black book. Simply, its name was _The Black Book._ The young girl nodded, starting to tremble slightly. “Do you know who The Lords In Black are, Hannah?” She asked, and again, the young girl nodded. “Well, these Lords In Black, they have followers. And, unfortunately, I believe one of them has taken root inside your mind.”

“No no!” She cried out, her hands clasping her ears again, and Holloway set The Black Book on the table behind them, opening it on a specific page. Hannah cried out again, her trembling becoming more prominent. “No there’s nothing good in there!”

Holloway sighed and bit her lip. “Hannah, sometimes things _aren’t_ black and white. They aren’t simple. Sometimes…we have to use something bad to do something good.”

“But it all has a price,” John added, and Holloway sighed.

“I know, but I’m rich enough to pay it. Metaphorically…” she shook her head and looked to her daughter. “Let’s just say I have very good credit.” She moved closer to the young girl and took a breath. “Hannah…we’ve got to go into Nightmare Time.”

“No!” Hannah cried out again, grabbing Holloway’s shoulders. “No, we can’t!”

“But you’re not going alone,” John said and moved closer to the smaller girl. “Because we’re going with you.”

“I don’t wanna go…” Hannah whimpered and took John’s hand, and John nodded.

“I know, but you’re gonna be a real big girl right now. We’re gonna go get Webby back. All of us, together.” He looked to Holloway and gave the nod.

“Alright, Hannah. Stay with General McNamara. He’ll take very good care of you.” She said, taking the book from behind her, settling it in her lap. She watched as Hannah left her safe spot on the beanbag and crawled into John’s lap. He immediately held her close and nodded at Holloway again. She settled on the spell that was needed and took a deep breath, gently tapping the cover of the book, placing her hand on Hannah’s arm so that her, John and Hannah were all connected and wouldn’t get lost in The Black and White. “Just focus on my voice, Hannah. Drift down, deep down to Drowsy Town. Good, you’re doing so good…”

And then there was blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if i'd have done the entire fucking thing in one go this damn chapter would be 12000 words long. no thak u sir
> 
> anyway holloway hannah and john go brr


	18. It's All In Your Mind (part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannah, John and Holloway face their escape 
> 
> !!! EVEN MORE WITCH IN THE WEB SPOILERS !!!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> featuring mr denim rat being a cocky bastard by revealing holloway's name (yes i did do research)
> 
> okay so tw: hanging. death.   
> cw: stabbing, knives, blood, slitting throat, hanging, blood, crying, tinky
> 
> THIS IS LITERALLY MY DECEMBER PRESENT FROM ME TO U I DONT KNOW WHAT RELIGION U ARE A PART OF AND CHRISTMAS SUCKS SO HAVE THIS !!! anyways i'm blaming myself for the fact that one direction has made me write 10,000>>>> words (the playlist is called dodo bird i made it because i'm flamboyant like that) anyways uh,,, cry i guess and good luck

When she opened her eyes, she was in Blackness. John was stood beside her, and Holloway took her hand. The familiar smile of her mentor was able to comfort her, calming her instantly. “Alright, Hannah. This is important. I know Nightmare Time can be scary, but you have to remember that we are in _your_ Nightmare Time, nobody else’s. No matter what anyone here tries to tell you, you are in control. Understand?”

“Uh huh...” Hannah replied, and Holloway nodded.

“All the power that is being produced in here is coming from your mind. And you…you’re a very powerful young girl.”

“Okay…” Hannah said and nodded.

“Alright. Now do you think you can guide us to the witch?” Holloway asked, and Hannah fumbled for a minute, unsure of her words. Then, she nodded, pointing forward. They stood still, and in some weird phenomena effect, the landscape came to them. They were soon at the edge of a vast forest, one that stretched on for miles and miles, dare they say eternity? John looked closer, examining the bizarre forest that was placed in front of them, and his eyebrows twitched into a confused expression.

“What the fuck _is_ this place?” He approached one of the trees, placing his hand on what should have been the trunk of the tree. Instead of feeling bark, he felt cotton. As he looked up, he noticed a man in a green shirt, white lettering reading _IM YOURS_ on it. The man, who was slumped over yet remained standing for his feet were rooted into the ground, had neat black hair and pale skin. He seemed so familiar, and yet, John could never recall seeing him.

“Tree-people.” Hannah answered. “The men with hatchets put them here.” They began to walk through the forest of people, some of the tree-people calling out to Hannah, telling her to turn back, or that _‘they couldn’t hold her anymore’_ which was freaky to say the least. “They all had a touch of the gift.”

“Who did? The tree-people?” The general questioned, and Hannah nodded.

“Some of them didn’t want to be planted, but the Hatchetmen did it anyway. Their roots made a web under the ground, and the witch was stuck…but now she’s not.” Another tree-person called out to Hannah, but Hannah ignored him.

“Keep going, Hannah. Don’t stop,” Holloway said, and Hannah nodded. They pressed deeper into the strange wood, and Holloway, after a while, began to notice the attire of the tree-people they were passing were becoming more outdated. Hannah suddenly stopped in front of one girl, who had pale skin and a blonde braid over her left shoulder, who was dressed in an over-sized vintage tee. “This girl…her clothes are old?” She turned to Hannah who nodded.

“Casey. They get older the deeper you go. Casey was ‘planted’ in 1986.”

Upon hearing her name, the tree-person, Casey, opened her eyes in a ghost-like daze and turned to the red-haired witch. “May I have your autograph?”

Before Holloway could answer, Hannah turned back to John and Holloway, her face determined. “We have to go back further. _Much_ further.” The two adults nodded and followed the child, noticing how the clothes became even more dated. From the 70s, 60s, the 50s…they didn’t stop. The decades flashed before their eyes until they reached a set of individuals who looked as if they belonged in the 1800s. Hannah stopped once more. “This is as far as I’ve come before. I don’t know their names; they’re too old to remember.” She took a breath and flinched. “We’re near the centre. Near the witch…”

Holloway squeezed Hannah’s hand and nodded. “Then, let’s keep going.” She held her daughter’s hand tightly as they stepped over the invisible threshold that kept them safe. Inside the new area, it’s dangerous. It’s unknown territory. John stumbled over himself as he feels himself falling through fog. When he lands, leaves crunch underfoot. Once he catches his footing, and brushes himself down, he looks in front of him. Before them, in the distance, is a rotting hut, burdened with old age. “The Witch’s Hut…” Holloway says, and Hannah nods. Sudden smoke billows from the crooked chimney on top of the roof, surrounding the entire building in smoke. From where they were stood, as the new smoke filled the area, tree-people sprung to life, shrieking with laughter. Miss Holloway tried to pull forward, but Hannah gripped her adopted mother’s waist tightly in a hug.

“N-No…I can’t. Not strong enough…” she admitted and buried into her side.

“You’re already doing so well, Hannah. We can keep going-“

“No!” She protested.

From around them, the tree-people’s jaws unhinged, and both adults looked directly inside of them. Their mouths glowed a sickly green, some glowing a more teal colour, whereas some glowed purple instead. All of the tree-people began to let out a sharp, cat-like wail. Wind begins to swirl around the three unwelcome members, and Hannah holds on to Miss Holloway as tight as she can, but Holloway’s moving away from her, as is John. “Miss Holloway! John!” She called, but the pull is too strong. She’s parted from her protectors. Because the adults are gone, she’s left alone, and she’s soon pushed to the ground by a stronger gust of wind. Except…the ground didn’t catch her. She began falling, falling downwards through the fog that began to twist and twirl around her. Spring-like structures of fog began to hit her face, her braids flapping helplessly as she fell. She tried to grab on to something, to anything, and she couldn’t. She let out a sob, but she couldn’t cry. Her tears were all dried up.

Through briars and thickets of a bush that appeared, she landed with a harsh _thump_ on floorboards after what felt like an eternity of falling. She stood, brushing herself off and looked around, noticing how she was in an old wooden courthouse. She swallowed thickly. She was before the Judge, who pointed a bony finger at her. “ _You.”_ He snarled, and her eyes widened. She was just a child. Why was she in court for? She looked around and noticed a group of people watching her. They weren’t from her time. They were from…1824. A voice had confirmed it in the back of her mind, and her voice felt so familiar, but she couldn’t remember who it was that was talking to her. She wished that she could. She thought that she was safe, with these townspeople. Surely, they’d be able to see that she was just a little girl? But they didn’t. Angry townsfolk leered over her, and two of the strongest grabbed her arms, yanking her to her feet. She yelped out in pain as she was dragged backwards, looking around frantically. “No! No, let me go! Please!” They didn’t listen.

She was taken to the bench of the decrepit Judge who pointed at her with his spindly, spotted finger. He shook his head and spoke once more. “Willabella Muckwab, you _bile_ creature! You who hath danced with demons! You who hath penned the abominable tome with the blood of our children! You have been found guilty of the crime of witchcraft! For it, you shall hang from the neck until you are dead!” Panicking again, Hannah screamed out, but villagers pounced on her. She shut her eyes, finally feeling tears gather in them, and when they reopened, she found herself in a clearing, in the direct centre of the Witchwood. Before her is a rickety platform. To those of 1824, it would have been made of oak, but she could see it was made of the clothing of a tree-person. She gulped as she was forcibly moved forward, pushing her towards the gallows. The townsfolk began to chant at her that she deserved to die, that she deserved to be killed. Why weren’t they seeing she was a kid, and why were they calling her Willabella Muckwab?

She was thrown, literally, _thrown_ on to the scaffold. The townspeople rushed back to the crowd, which was growing by the second, and they had a hungry look in their eyes, desperate to watch this execution. She scanned the scene, her breathing becoming shaky, when her eyes landed on two obnoxious figures who certainly didn’t belong her. The first was dressed in complete military uniform, and his long blonde hair swayed gently in the breeze. The woman beside him, with the jean jacket and flaming red hair, kept her eyes focused on Hannah. “Holloway…John…” She whimpered a plea of help, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to hear her. But she was able to hear _them._

“Hannah! Hannah!” They were calling, hands cupping their mouths to project their voices.

“Hannah, it’s gonna be okay!” John shouted to her, and she tried to believe him. She so desperately wanted to believe him. She went to call out to him, but an executioner puled a rope, and it draped around Hannah’s neck. The judge cried out again, and Hannah held her breath, determined to live.

“Never shall she plague this land again! This land which we paid for with blood! Her immortal soul shall rot here! And the roots of the wood we plant shall ensnare her forever more! Caught in a web, paid for with our sacrifice!”

At the sight, John began clawing through the mob, who didn’t seem to notice him, and pulled Holloway through after him. “Hannah, you have to take control! You’re giving them the power! With it, they can and _will_ kill you!” The witch called out to her daughter, and Hannah caught her eyes again.

Hannah tried to regain her power, tried to fight for her rights, but the illusion was far to strong. The Witch In The Web had Hannah caught in the memory of her own death. No. Not _Hannah’s_ death. Not Hannah’s, or John’s, or Holloway’s…the Witch’s. She looked to her left and saw the executioner taking a hold of the lever, and Hannah gulped once more.

“The innocent must suffer,” the judge added, and Holloway shook her head.

“Hannah, she’s put you in her place!”

“The guilty _must_ be punished!”

“You’re _not the witch!”_

“You must taste blood to be a man!” At the signal of the judge, the executioner gave a firm nod and pulled the lever. The rope should have left Hannah snatched, dangling for dead, but it hadn’t attached itself correctly. She felt the rope scratch the underside of her chin as she fell, fell…and then someone had their arms wrapped around her.

Whoever had her also went crashing through the confines of Hannah’s mind, through neon, flashing lights and bursting bulbs, they landed. Hannah looked to the person who had her and saw blonde hair. John. John McNamara. She sobbed and burrowed into the general, who wrapped his arms around her tightly. “It’s alright now, Hannah. John’s here,” he said softly as he knelt on the floor, holding Hannah close to his chest. Together, he finds himself on dusty, dirty carpet in a large room, dimly lit.

“I got scared…” the young girl shook fiercely in John’s arms and be nodded.

“I know sweetheart, but John’s got you now.” His voice was surprisingly soft for the man, who was usually so stern. Maybe he had a sweet spot for kids that he’d been hiding after all. Another figure fell and landed on her feet, and John turned his head, seeing Holloway brushing dust off her jacket.

“Next time, Hannah, just _don’t_ get scared.” She said and crouched down beside them both.

“Holly, it’s not as easy as that.” John said and looked at her. “She has autism.”

“And?” She asked. “Autism doesn’t prevent a good soldier from being a good soldier.”

“Holloway, you trained me, and I have ASD.”

After the thought clicked, Holloway nodded. “Right, sorry Hannah…”

“It’s fine,” she mumbled, enabling Holloway to continue speaking.

“I know you’re afraid of the witch. She shows you things, terrible things. She wants to trick you. She wants to hide and make a big loud noise to frighten you away. Why do you think that is?” She asked, and Hannah shrugged, remaining close to John. “Because she’s afraid of you too.” She placed her hand on Hannah’s shoulder and moved close to John as well. “She’s dead and you’re alive. You are _so_ much more powerful than she is. She knows that, and she wants your power. What you mustn’t do is give it up. I know it seems easy, and I know it can be easy, but you mustn’t.” She took a breath and looked around, her eyes now skittish. “Remember that when we go back.”

“No. I don’t wanna…” Hannah said as Holloway took a breath, standing.

“We have to. It’s not safe here.” Her eyes continued to dart around the room, and she nodded.

Hannah, keeping a hold of John, turned her head, looking around at the room. The room was so large, she figured that it had to be a part of a grand, lavish building. She stumbled to her feet like a new-born lamb taking its first steps, John following her, gripping her hand. The room itself was desolate, and the ceiling was breaking, dismantled. Beneath her was grey-blue carpet, but in areas, it was made of hardwood. The curtains on either side of the rom were shredded, as was most of the furniture. Posters on the walls of the room were also torn, also shredded. One in particular was promoting _The Touring Production of Mamma Mia! July 28 th, 2018. _The air she was inhaling was heavy with tension, heavy with some sort of anticipation, but it was also filled with some sort of bright blue ghostly orb like spores. She inhaled again and gagged at the strength. Lemon, Windex, mint. “Where are we?” She managed to choke out, caressing her throat as she coughed, and Holloway looked at her.

“I had to get you outta there…” she said and sighed. “I did the only thing I could. When you were falling I-…I pulled you and John into my mind.” A beat passed between the trio as she gestured around. “This is _my_ Nightmare Time.”

Hannah looked around and her eyes widened as the building became clear. She was standing in the aisle of a crumbling, abandoned theatre. “The Starlight…” came John’s hushed voice, and Holloway nodded as the curtains on either side of the stage rustled, a groan coming from some sort of creature that appeared on stage. Grey in colour and a mass of flesh with three heads, the withered figure frightened Hannah immensely, for she gripped John’s hand tighter. The emaciated form, originally one individual person welded together, dragged itself along with six bony arms. Three mouths cried out hungrily, and it didn’t take much for John to realise that figure hadn’t been fed for some time.

“What is that?” John asked, and Holloway backed up slightly.

“Three girls I couldn’t save.”

“Girls like me?” Hannah looked up at Holloway, her brown eyes widening innocently.

“No…No. Nothing like you.” Her voice was stern, serious. She pinpointed where was needed to go for the escape. A neon ‘ _EXIT’_ sign that glowed above the empty stage, above the aisle door. She sucked in a breath and nodded. “Look. There’s the exit, okay? We need to go through it to get back to your mind. Keep a hold of John’s hand, there are bad things in here.”

Hannah nodded, and together, her and John started following Holloway through the abnormally long aisle. Hannah could only notice how around her was decay and debris, moonlight shining through the holes in the ceiling, rows of ripped up blue-grey velvet seats stretching off into eternal darkness. From the eternal darkness, Hannah could hear voices. Familiar voices…

“Hannah…Hannah,” the first one called, deep and what-should have been friendly. Bill Woodward, the father of her old babysitter, Alice. Why was he here?

“Over here, my little star!” The next voice called, cheerier than Bill’s was. Still masculine, always masculine, but slightly monotone. Paul Matthews, Emma’s boyfriend who was currently in PEIP curled up to her. He shouldn’t be here.

“What’s shaking, Banana?” The third asked, and Hannah tensed. John held her shoulders, looking to her.

“Ethan isn’t here. Ethan’s at home. Keep walking, I’m here,” he reassured, his own blue eyes darting around the room, searching for any other dangers aside from the husk. Hannah nodded reluctantly and continued down the aisle.

“Banana split, banana pudding. There’s a thousand ways to eaT A BANANA!” It screamed, Hannah gripping John’s hand tighter.

“Momma….” She whispered, and John shook his head.

“Your old momma isn’t here, Hannah. Only Holloway.”

Hannah, at the reminder of her protector, looked forward. “This is your Nightmare Time! Why are they calling to me?!”

“Because I don’t listen to them, that’s why!” Frustration was leaking through into The Witch’s voice, but Hannah couldn’t help but feel frightened. She couldn’t tell if John was feeling the same, but she felt somewhat safe with him to an extent. She kept walking, hearing the voices of other familiar people before one made her stop dead in her tracks, her blood running cold.

“We just keep running into each other, don’t we, Hannah?!” The childish-like voice of Tickle-Me Wiggly sounded, and she began to shake. Wind began to blow through the deserted theatre, and she whirled around, John doing the same. When they faced the front again, they found each other on the centre of the barren stage. Hannah gasped and looked around, tears running down her face.

“Miss Holloway? Miss Holloway?!” She called as John rushed forward and held her hand.

“Hey, we’ll get back to Holly, okay?” He told her, but she shook her head. At least she wasn’t alone…

“Nuh uh.”

John sighed and shook his head, running a hand through his hair, his eyes catching a look at a symbol engraved into the wooden floorboards of the stage. One that was all too familiar to him. It was his turn to start feeling fear, if fear came in the form of adrenaline. Beside the strange symbol, pinned down by a black blade, is a rotting skeleton. John pulled Hannah close to him and held her shoulders. “Listen to me. It’s gonna be okay.” She looked up at him, confused and scared, and he squeezed her hands. “I promise.”

They backed away more but found themselves unable to cross the boundaries of the etching below them. They hit the barrier, and John got knocked forward as the marking began to glow around them. Green light streams up through the floorboards, all diving to hit the skeleton. Before their eyes, the dead thing wriggled and twisted back to life. An ossified arm only _just_ attached to the ribcage turned mechanically, pulling the black blade free from it’s resting place. Once safely done, the pile of bones rises. A neon green flash centred around them, and John shielded Hannah against his chest, turning his back, squeezing his own eyes shut.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood, and reluctantly, he turned. There was no sign of a heap f bones anymore. No. Just a man with greasy, black hair and a gnarled smile fitted perfectly in a crooked jaw wearing…a denim waistcoat, denim jeans, a black belt, heavy black boots, a watch and…dog tags…”How you doin’ there, Han- oh. There’s two of you.” The man snarled, but Hannah swallowed.

“Who are you? How do I know you?!” She asked, and he shrugged.

“Be concerned as to how _you_ know the man next to you.” He pulled out a sour green apple from behind his back. “Hungry?” he asked, throwing it to her. John, thinking fast, drew his gun and fired a bullet through its core. Calmly, he slid the weapon back into his belt, and the man stormed forward again. “You motherfucker.” He grabbed John’s arm and pulled him close. “All dressed up and for _who._ Surely, _you_ weren’t promoted to general after I got stuck in this place, did ya? Is that really what PEIP’s come to nowadays? Damn be upon it!”

“I volunteered. I thought I was making you proud.” He said, looking into his former mentor’s eyes.

“Well, just like your biological father, Johnny, ya didn’t!” He pulled the black dagger back, raising it high above his head. John laughed.

“What you gonna do, Will? Kill me?” His voice was still strong, as was everything else about him, but Wilbur wasn’t playing games.

“Of course I am, son.” With an abrupt thrust, the black blade found itself piercing John’s aorta. John cried out as Wilbur twisted the knife to the right, the puncture in the chamber becoming all too large. He removed the blade and John fell backwards, lifeless. Dead.

Hannah watched, speechless, pale. Wilbur turned back to Hannah, the blade dripping blood off it, leaking into the designs of the floor. He rushed towards her and grabbed her arm as well. “And you…you’re one slippery little banana peel, ya know that? But I gotchu now. A shame, really. You got so much power in that noggin’ that’s now goin’ to waste.” He held the blade above his head again, and his green eyes became a frenzy of disaster. “Let’s crack it open an’ see what’s inside!” He went to plunge the knife into the young girl’s skull, but in a blink, she was gone. He whirled around himself, snarling, and saw the young girl clutching the vest of Miss Holloway, who looked at him gravely.

“You can’t hurt her…you’re dead.”

“And yet I murdered John!” He smiled. “So am I dead? Am I? Am I though?” He pouted, sticking out his bottom lip, before licking the blood off the knife.

Holloway grimaced and held Hannah against her. “I should know. I _killed_ you, Wilbur.”

“Only about half the time! The other half, I mopped the floor with that pretty little head of yours. I ate your heart, and I took your jacket! Fits me better anyway!” He popped the collar on Miss Holloway’s jean jacket, which had jumped directly on to him, completing his outfit. “And _this_ is why we return jackets after breakups, Aloisa.”

Holloway snarled then, and Hannah buried deeper into her side. “Don’t you dare, Wilbur.”

“Why not?! It’s ya name, ain’t it? Holly-Aloisa Holloway. Holly: Domestic Happiness, Aloisa: Renowned Warrior. I don’t know whether _any_ part of you is a warrior.” He tutted and shook his head.

“But I hate the name. You know that.”

“And Hannah does as well!” He grinned again and crouched down to Hannah’s level. “She sees it all, every possibility. That’s why her mind is so vast! So powerful! That kid’s a battery…no. A nuclear power plant. She brought me back with nothing more than a toot!”

“You’re a nightmare, that’s all.” Holloway tried, but Wilbur shook his head.

“Not with her around. That one’s a live wire! And you wanna know somethin, Holls?” He asked, and figures came out of the shadows. “So are my group of buddy-wuds. Ya stole Ethan and Janey from me. But I still got Linda and-“

“JOHN!” The figure to the left of the colonel shrieked, his eyes widening, hands clasping over his mouth. Linda kicked the man in the back of his legs and sent him to the floor.

“Shut your mouth!” The blonde-haired woman scoffed, fanning herself with her hand.

“-And Xander. But _Xander_ clearly chose good over the best. _America’s Greatest Weapon_ and he chooses to use his powers for the advantages.” He shook his head. “But without his little Johnny-won, well. It gives Willabella an advantage. An advantage to setting up shop in Hannah’s mind, making Hannah’s skin her permanent residence! Slipping into someone’s skin, ooh! Sounds like fun! Maybe I should give it a try!” He said and stared Holloway down. “Think about it! A real witch, all offence Holly, the _first_ disciple of Wiggog Y’Wrath, the author of the Black Book itself paired with the most powerful psychic mind in the history of reality….a match made in…” he laughed and looked to Linda. “Well, I don’t wanna say _Heaven.”_

Holloway shook her head and looked to Hannah. “You have to get to the exit. They’re not gonna let me go with you. Go now, Hannah. We’re out of time.” She points the young girl in the direction of the backstage door, and seeing Hannah run for it, she turns back to face him with a chilled breeze in her hair.

“I always knew you’d run back to me, Aloisa.”

She snorted. “Oh, you wish.”

“You may as well now Duke-a-roo’s out of the picture.” He said, standing, hooking an arm around Linda’s waist, Holloway falling silent.

“He did _nothing_ to you.”

“I know! It makes it so funny!” He said and laughed, kicking Xander on to his back. “So, a grudge match. Whaddaya say, Holls?” He presented the blade to her again, taking another shot at her, but when he goes to plunge it into her chest, she moves her hand out from behind her back, looking at him.

“You want this knife, pup? Maybe you gotta go _get_ the knife!” She tightens her grip on the blade’s hilt, looking at him. He remained still, looking at her, his green eyes still a frenzied mess. “So, you came here to talk?”

“Oh, Miss Holloway! Ya know me! You think I’m gonna fight you head on? On _your_ turf!” He laughed obnoxiously and looked to her. “Nah, you think I _wanna_ get my ass kicked in front of these _gorgeous_ girls and…” he looked to Xander and sighed. “These gorgeous girls!” Linda Monroe took her position at Wilbur’s side, and the husk returned, crawling back on stage like a deformed insect. Holloway, however, remained static, focused on her opponent. The ex-colonel laughed again and looked at her. “No, I ain’t gonna cheat!” With a quick gesture, he made the motion of slitting her throat with his thumb. “Hey, you got a frog in your throat, all of a sudden?” He raised an eyebrow and watched as she tried to breathe, watching her eyes widen as she realised what happened. Her hands reluctantly touched the skin on her neck, and when her fingertips came back red, she knew she was done for. She choked, and struggled to stay alive, the blood on her neck dripping on her shirt, the blade falling from her grip as she dropped to her knees.

To the advantage, the denim-clad man pounced, and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “You were always so pretty underneath me, Holls…it’s a shame, ain’t it? A real big shame…” He leans down and places a kiss on her forehead before turning back to Linda, standing. “M’lady, I believe our job here…is done.”

Linda gave a fair smile, leaning against the taller man before looking to the spot on the stage where Xander should have been…would have been…”Where’s the rat?”

With a loud crackle of thunder, the two spun around to see Xander at the back of the stage. His hands were illuminated in blue light, as were his eyes, for the entire sockets were now the same neon blue. There’s a shockwave that runs through the stage and reaches Wilbur, stunning him. “You hurt my husband-“

“I didn’t just hurt him-“

 _“YOU HURT MY HUSBAND AND NOW I HURT YOU!”_ He screamed. With no hesitation, he aimed a beam of light directly at Wilbur, knocking him backwards, the second being aimed directly at Linda, earning the same result from him. _“AND WITH MY POWER, I DENOUNCE YOU OF YOURS!”_ With a final blue blast, Xander’s breathing was far too quick. Quicker than he’d expected.

He opened his eyes, not quite in the world yet, but not in the black any longer. Surrounded by ivy and vines, a blue reflective pool of water beneath his feet, he found himself collapsing on the floor in tears. Holly-Aloisa Holloway was dead. Jonathon Myles McNamara was dead. His husband was dead. He’d been seconds too late. Seconds earlier and he’d have been able to save him. He’d have been able to save him from the horror of his own death. If Xander was the blue, then John was certainly his red.

He didn’t know where he was. All he knew was that he was in somewhere bright, somewhere welcoming that looked like something out of a fairy-tale, and as far as he was concerned, he was alone. That scared him. He’d chosen how he got to die, he’d been in eternal pain and he’d been betrayed…and John had a knife to the heat by his former mentor, his father figure. Xander wasn’t grieving for himself. He was grieving for John.

Wiping his eyes, he felt the water below him ripple, and he didn’t bother looking up. A figure crouched down beside him, looking at him. “Xander Lee,” she said softly. “It’s alright. John’s alive, he’s in PEIP’s medbay, as is Miss Holloway. Hannah escaped unscathed, and Wilbur and Linda are tied down with Emdroid, Paul 23 and Jane Perkins.”

“And Ethan? And Ted?” He asked, looking to his creator.

“Ethan Green is suffering from extreme flashbacks, and Ted got stabbed. He is currently recovering. But it’s your time to go.” She said.

Xander looked to the spider-like figure of Webby and threw her arms around her. “Thank you…” he whispered, and Webby nodded.

“It’s my pleasure, son. Now go. I’ve got this from here.” With a flick of her wrist, another portal opened, white in colour, and he looked at it. He looked back to her, and with a reassuring nod, he stepped through.

* * *

He landed in his lab. Beanbags and a candle stood tall. He exhaled, running his hand along the walls, touching the doorframe, the countertops. He was home. He exited the room, looking up, and tears continued to flow from his eyes. _‘XLJ-214.’_ He sniffed and wiped his eyes, noticing how he was still in the blue suit he’d been trapped in for so long. “They named it after me…” he whispered before turning, looking behind him at an agent holding a file. One familiar to him.

She looked up, and she did a double take. “Xander?”

He laughed and wiped his eyes, nodding. “Hi, Schaf.”

She walked forwards and it looked as if she was going in for a hug, but she punched his chest instead. “We needed someone like you around here for _months.”_ She shook her head and sighed. “Do you have _any_ idea why John woke up bleeding from the chest? The same with Holloway?”

“Um, yes, I do, but right now, I really gotta get to John…”

“I’ll take you,” she said and clutched the files closer to her chest, leading him through PEIP. It was expected that things were to change considering he hadn’t been there before in that dimension, but he had been in previous ones. Ones where he and John hadn’t turned out happy. Ones where he lost his husband for good. His breath hitched, but it became unnoticed when Schaffer, who’d just dropped off files on John’s desk, opened the door to the private room where John was lay. “I’ll give you time.”

He nodded out of thanks and stepped into the room, looking into the room. John was sitting up in a hospital gown, but he could see a bandage poking out under the collar, presumably wrapped around his chest. He was staring into space, distracting himself with thoughts, hooked up to a life machine. An oxygen mask was on the table beside him, which must have meant he needed that as well. Xander entering the room must have been enough to alert his husband to the presence of his. Immediately, the general’s eyes widened, and he gasped. “Xander?” He asked, his voice high pitched.

Xander nodded, tears spilling from his eyes yet again as he rushed forward, wrapping his arms carefully around John. “I got there seconds after-“

“It wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t your fault; I should have expected it from the bastard-.” John buried into Xander’s neck, taking in his scent, his physical presence, the material of the suit...just Xander. Tears filled his eyes as Xander’s breathing shook.

“I missed you, I missed you so much. It was so, _so_ hard not to hold you while I was in that portal. Talking to you via that coding work was the best thing to ever happen during the time I was there.” He said and pulled away from the hug, sitting beside him, taking his hands. He looked down at them, as did John, and he ran a thumb over John’s knuckles. As he did, two rings appeared on John’s ring finger as if they’d always belonged there. One being an engagement ring, the second being a wedding ring, and the same went for Xander.

The two looked at each other in the eyes and smiled. John’s hands flew up to Xander’s face, pulling him in for a kiss. Xander found himself holding John closer to him, tears now falling down both of their faces, as he kissed him back. He wasn’t letting him go anytime soon. There wasn’t a chance about it. Xander was back with John, and John was in Xander’s arms, and they were physically with each other. There was no barrier, there was no holding back. They were them, and nothing could stop them.

* * *

Except…when Webby returned back to the table, Blinky’s eye was red, and the other Gods seemed on edge. “That shouldn’t have fucking happened,” Tinky snarled, and Blinky nodded in agreement.

“What do you say, Kilgore? We pay ‘em a visit? I’m sure John would appreciate there being…two of us.” Blinky said, and Tinky smiled.

“Tomorrow. Let ‘em have one moment of bliss between ‘em.”

_Tomorrow._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHA MOTHERFUCKERS DID U RELALLY THINK IT WAS THE END-
> 
> anyways i have the next storyline planned out. now mcnamandy are back (thank the fucking wiggly doll) then i can proceed with other seggsy plots like: ethan and xander reuniting, xander telling john the truth, holloway and duke, lexthan, barneston, pAULKINS, THE EVIL! HF6 SIDES INCLUDING EMDROID AND PAUL 23 AND WHY THE F U C K TINKY WAS JUST REFERRED TO AS "KILGORE" UH OH HOMIES, STRAP IN, IT'S GONNA BE AB U MP Ey R I D E
> 
> also my xander muse says bRRR
> 
> i hope u realise this chapter has been planned out literally since i started writing it. i mean, not the plot specifically but how john and xander were coming back-holy fuck it's 1 am okay night faves <3


	19. When Were You Then?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> john learns some shit and uh,,, so does tinky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: suicide, hurting  
> cw: food, tinky

Without a major case to focus on anymore, the weeks after seemed to be a bore. The younger agents were becoming restless. Some of them had taken to paying to do others paperwork, and only got caught by Colonel Schaffer in a drug bust event. Everyone was losing a part of their minds in one way or another, but there was an example of something that became evident between the entire precinct.

The return of the Lieutenant had become the prime reason people remained as motivated as they did. Before, John had said, he’d struggled to run the precinct. _‘Everybody came in miserable, and no matter what, I couldn’t lift their spirits’_ he admitted, and to hear it himself, it broke his heart. He didn’t want the precinct to continue being so dismal, so he launched a plan.

While John was recovering, Colonel Schaffer became the one in charge. She promised to make the best decisions for the precinct while the general rested and placed Xander ultimately as her second in command. The first point Xander raised to Schaffer was to give _all_ of the agents a month off, and even then, it was looking so that it’d be more. She did raise the point as to why, and there it was that Xander’s plan hatched.

Before he could start on the precinct, he had a couple of very special agents to meet. In a way, they were the next generation of PEIP. He shook hands with George and Benny Slate, Ruth Yates and then his daughter, who beamed at him, honoured to finally meet him. She was a bouncing ball of sunshine and had a bright personality. He could already tell that his plan, which was going into works, was going to go just fine.

The five of them worked their asses off. Some agents chose not to take the month off and to stay at PEIP as well after the rumour of the new plans for the agency were going ahead. Immediately, the few agents who chose to stay behind and help began the drastic plan that Xander had came up with. Most of the furniture that had been needed to be replaced for years anyway got thrown out or donated to local shelters or charities, and they installed in newer pieces. The older rooms got stripped of their black and white schemes and transformed into some sort of common room, bright colours plastered all over the walls.

Before PEIP reopened to those after their paid break, Xander showed John around first. John had still been recovering from where he’d been stabbed, and occasionally would still feel the pain he had to experience in The Black and White. It was part of why Xander wanted to get rid of the black and white scheme. PEIP wasn’t a place to associate itself with an alternate realm where the first major colonel had died. No. They’d come much further than that, and it proved by John’s reactions.

Xander wrapped his arm around John’s shoulder and walked with him at his own pace. Of course, some of the rooms, like the computing room and some of the tracking rooms remained with the signature black and blue theme, but offices and laboratories became bright. Walls were painted in pastel colours of the rainbow, and the carpet was that of a soft brown in each room. Every room was fitted to each officer’s request. The interrogation room stuck to the white walls and white flooring but nothing much could be done about that. Then they reached a room previously unused.

The door was wide open, and John stepped inside. He looked around, his heart pounding. What his husband had done had made a room commemorating those involved majorly in the HF6 case, and also had a wall honouring those who had died in service. There would never be a way to honour them fully, but it seemed sufficient for John. It was a room with grey themes to it. There were cushions scattered over the place, a small bookshelf, and a box. Xander wrapped his arms around John’s waist and looked at him. “PEIP never really had a place for when we lost someone. We were allowed to mourn but before we know it, we were back on the field following our friends who’d fallen. It’s important they’re given a space to vent, to write their feelings down, or if they need time alone.”

John’s eyes stay wide as he admired the room his husband had made. He admired the precinct, the vision he’d always had in his mind, but he hadn’t known where to start. “Xander it’s…it’s beautiful…” he said, his voice hardly audible. “The entire precinct you…you and the kids, you’ve done so much for agents you haven’t met.”

“It doesn’t take much to be a decent person, you know?” Xander kissed the top of John’s hair. “It isn’t going anywhere. But…how about we go back to your room? I’ll tell you about the dimension I’m from if you go back and rest.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice.” John turned around, slipping his hand into Xander’s, and offered a bright smile. Xander mimicked it, squeezing John’s hand, and together, the two walked back through the halls of PEIP. Every single area of the precinct had a burst of colour to it, including the hospitals. Following the honour of Becky Barnes, they went for a white, teal and grey theme to make the place more welcoming instead of just white. Some of the offices were made of warmer colours to honour people such as Tom Houston and Colonel Schaffer. It was only logical to commemorate those on the island as well.

Xander tucked John back into his bed using one of the newer blankets PEIP had managed to buy with the little bit of extra spare money they had. John took his hand and looked up to him. “So,” Xander started and sighed. “The dimension I came from…it was terrible.”

“Really?” John asked, and Xander nodded.

“Well, in the first dimension…it was messy.” He bit his lip and his chest ached. “I was uh…severely harmed by your mentor. By Wilbur Cross? He gunned down Lex and while he was hurting me uh, your ex-husband-“

“I had an ex-husband?” John asked, and Xander nodded.

“He was a colonel here. Colonel Nicholas Johnson.”

“I’ve never heard that name before.”

Xander immediately felt relief lift from his chest, and he managed to smile comfortably. “Okay. So, in three different dimensions, you’ve been married to this man named Nicholas Johnson. He started out really nice and became abusive very fast. Then again, you faked your death in one dimension and came back under some really weird and very obvious alias. Honestly, past John was a very big dick.”

“Really?” John furrowed his eyebrows and looked up to him. “Why?”

“I’m getting to it. So, while Wilbur was hurting me, Nick had you cornered in a room and he started singing to you. You told me he got you to kiss him. I don’t really believe that anymore.” He bit on his lip. “I died. In the second dimension, I died. It was Christmas and Nick and Wilbur came back, if I can remember correctly, and I told you I loved you. Instead of telling me that back, you kissed me. Then you said, ‘I love you’ _after_ I died.”

“I want to punch alternate realty John in the face.”

“I also want to punch alternate reality John in the face.” Xander shook his head and ran a hand over his hair. “But that was some separate timeline. It’s just…thinking back, everything _seemed_ normal, but it seems as if someone was just throwing shit at us for the sake of it. So, whoever’s been writing my story, please go and fuck yourself.”

“How do you know it’s a someone?” John asked.

“John, I’ve been in The Black and White since the start of the dimension. There was a table in the centre of a dark pit, and if you stared hard enough at the walls, you’d be able to see worlds open up in front of you. For example, John, my dear, do you realise we exist in musical format in most universes?”

John retched and looked to Xander, his eyes sharp. “You’re serious?”

“You have two- no. _Three_ songs.”

“I’m never singing again.” John’s arms folded. He sat himself up and stared at the door. “You’ve upset me.”

“I’m sorry…” Xander smiled gently before pausing. “You realise that there are a group of teenagers writing part of Hatchetfield?”

“Stop it, I asked to hear about _you_ in other dimensions, not about the entirety of Hatchetfield in other universes!”

“You have a 4’ bald husband called Bob in one universe. PEIP use him as a football. Bob is invincible, apparently.”

“Xander, _please_ just tell me about myself in the other universe before I get really annoyed.”

“Alright, alright.” He chuckled and looked at John. “Where was I?”

“About how you felt as if someone was throwing any possible thing at you for the sake of causing you pain?”

“Ah! Yes!” He cleared his throat. “On the morning of our wedding, the first-time round, I attempted suicide-“

“ _What?!”_

“You stopped me! I don’t see why that makes it any better because it really doesn’t…but at the end of the wedding, by this point Wilbur, Nick and Linda Monroe who’d teamed up with the two of them, appeared at our wedding. Wilbur admitted he hurt me, and I became embarrassed and fled the wedding. Also are you aware of PEIP hydrogen bombing the fuck out of dimensions if they go wrong?”

“No.”

“Okay this is a good dimension.” Xander took John’s hand again and looked at him. “So somehow I had a white hydrogen bomb in the shape of a small cylinder on my keychain. I was in the car and you came running out. You told me I hadn’t been upstaged and that I was fine.”

“That’s a dick move on my part and I am _so_ sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Xander’s face wasn’t saying the same as what he was speaking. “And Wilbur appeared in the backseat and _somehow_ I got transported back to 2007, which is the year I join PEIP and therefore the year I typically meet you after high school.”

“You went _back in time.”_

“Yeah. And you went with me…except Wilbur stole your body and implanted his soul into it. So when we defeated Wilbur, we were taken to 2018 where you were. The real you. We got you untied. I checked the date and The Apotheosis was _literally_ the next day.”

“What’s…The Apotheosis?”

Xander snorted and looked at him. “You’re gonna hate this. It’s a musical apocalypse which turned into a pandemic.”

“Oh my god…” John blinked.

“Yeah. And you told me to let Nick die even though I believed it to be unethical. So we saved everyone, and then you almost died lol.”

“Did you just day lol in real life?” John scrunched his nose up out of disgust and Xander shrugged.

“I may have done. I may not have. You’ll never find out. So you managed to recover. November 23rd hit. Before you ask, Black Friday 2018 in Hatchetfield was when Wilbur Cross created a bunch of dolls called ‘ _Tickle-Me Wiggly.’_ Adults swarmed and killed for them. Anyways, Tickle-Me Wiggly is actually known as Wiggog Y’Wrath and he lives in The Black and White as an eldritch God alongside 5 others.” He looked at John, who’s face was blank. “I’ll get on to that. So Black Friday passed, you didn’t die. But uh…after that? We had a fight on Christmas day because I found out about the whole ‘ _you didn’t say I love you to me before I died even though I needed to hear that.’”_

“So what happened?”

“I killed myself.”

“Are you okay?” John laughed uncomfortably, and Xander shrugged.

“I should invest in therapy, shouldn’t I?”

“Yes.”

“Right. I’ll get myself on that.” He sighed and looked at John again. “But I had three options. I was either allowed to continue living and we miraculously repaired ourselves, we were very toxic by the way. I continued living, but we broke up and my feelings for you became one-sided, or I could join my creator in The Black and White. I chose The Black and White. My creator, Webby, handed me a hydrogen bomb and I blew it up.”

“Right…okay…what the fuck?” John asked.

Xander shrugged. “I wish I knew.” He huffed and moved the chair closer to John. “So I have powers, I’m not sure if you’re aware yet. My creator, her name is Webby, she’s a spider and she _is_ God. Webby has five brothers, Wiggog Y’Wrath, or Wiggly, Bliklotep or Blinky, T’Noy Karaxis or Tinky, Pokotho or Pokey and finally Nibblenephim or Nibbly. For months I thought his name was Wibblenephim.” Xander shook his head. “There was also Ethan Green, Jane Perkins, Linda Monroe and Wilbur in there when I entered the realm. And we became the tamed.”

“The tamed?”

Xander nodded. “So we all keep the spirit of the god alive. I’m Webby’s tamed, Ted Spankoffski is Tinky’s tamed, Wilbur, Linda and Ethan are all Wiggly’s tamed. Jane Perkins, as far as I’m concerned, has Nibblenephim as her tamer.”

“Right.” John shook his head. “I had no idea you’ve been through this much.”

“Nobody did.” Xander looked back into John’s eyes and noticed the solemnness within them. “But I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to get used to it.” He held his arms out for Xander, and Xander could hardly say no.

“I know.” He climbed on to the bed and into John’s arms.

“Listen…you may have your doubts based on me, but I assure you, Xander. I’m not like that asshole from the other dimensions. I’ll understand, okay? I’ve got your back.”

“I know, John.” He smiled sadly and kissed him softly. “I love you, soldier.”

“I love you too.”

* * *

John came home that following night. It was Xander’s first time in the house since coming back from The Black and White, and it was immediately a breath of fresh air. The smell of coffee lingered in the air as well as John’s cologne. Lou had moved herself in in the month that they were renovating PEIP, and Xander would have to get used to teens being around the house, but they had the room, and they had the space.

John, immediately, swept Xander off his feet and carried him upstairs to their bedroom. He placed Xander on the bed and smiled at him. “I’ve missed you.”

“You’ll put your back out, dumbass.” He laughed. The sunset was long gone, and the room could only be lit up by the smiles of the two men, Xander’s half-glowing eyes and the lamp Xander had switched on once placed on the bed.

“I’ve carried heavier. You’re feather-light.” John explained, shuffling under the covers. “Now come here. I haven’t had proper cuddles from you since you appeared out of the blue.”

“I really hope that wasn’t supposed to be a pun about my powers.” Xander pulled the covers over him, wrapping his arms tightly around John, and John chuckled.

“What are your powers?”

“Mainly, it’s blasting blue beams of light out of my hands, but I can also stop time. Uh…honestly, I’m not sure.”

“That’s okay.” John reached up and kissed Xander softly, cupping the back of his head, keeping him in the kiss until he let go. “Rest well, my love.”

“I will.” Xander slept peacefully throughout the night and was blissfully awoken by the smell of breakfast. Birds were chirping outside his window, specifically Nighthawks, and the trees were covered in a February frost. He was in awe. He’d missed it. Going from an endless stretch of fabric that was varnished with blood and had little to nothing in it, being back home on Earth was the better thing for him.

He walked downstairs after changing into some more clothes, specifically some of his that must have appeared when he was revived. He walked downstairs and noticed John cooking while Lou sat at the dining table. Xander smiled and walked inside, making his presence know. “Good morning, private and General McNamara.”

“Good morning, Xander!” Lou chirped happily, and John turned his head around to face him.

“She’s got a date later with Yates.”

“No, I do _not!_ Benny rubs off on you too much!” Lou huffed and her eyebrows knitted to create an infuriated expression on her face. “I hate it here!”

“I hate it here too, most days.” Xander took his seat at the table, taking a mug of coffee that Lou slid over to him.

“I hate you too, Alexander.” John flipped Xander off and Lou looked up to Xander.

“Is this what gay marriage is like? I know the hets usually get divorced within three years.” She snorted. “Did ya know, when me and Benny went to Hatchetfield High, there was a teacher called Miss Taylor and _everyone_ hated her. She taught us Chemistry, right? And she got married and divorced nine months later, and she started crying about it to the popular kids and- and they told her to fuck herself.” She doubled over wheezing. “The same teacher told Benny he wasn’t doing good and he should move to Sycamore, so I punched her in the face!”

“That’s my girl.” John carried Lou’s plate over to her, ruffling her hair as he walked away. Lou, immediately disgusted, huffed.

“Well, thanks John.” She rolled her eyes but tucked into breakfast. “We had a better science teacher senior year though. He was so fucking cool. And then he moved to _Oregon_ to teach! _Oregon!_ I will admit, I did cry, and Benny bullied me for weeks about it. He’s a motherfucker.”

John laughed, as did Xander, as the remaining plates were carried over to the table. They ate in peace and then, afterwards, they suited up to greet the rest of the agents at PEIP. Overall, it was going to be an amazing day.

* * *

“Is it _time yet!?”_ The purple headed monster snarled, and Tinky reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

“Tomorrow.”

 _“It’s been a month!”_ Blinky hissed and turned to face his brother. “I’m _feeding_ my Sniggles I’m so bored! And Elsie and Venus are back together. Oh, it’s _sickening!_ And don’t _try_ and speak to me about the time and energy it takes to look after Sniggles!”

“They’we to sewve as henchmen, not pets, Bwinky.” Wiggly rolled his eyes, kicking his legs up on the table. “I wook after _mine_ good enough!”

“You aren’t here half the time! Fucking BTEC Cthulhu-“ Blinky ran forward, but was quickly restrained by Tinky and Pokey. “Let me at ‘im! Let me at ‘im!”

“You’re getting mad for no reason.” Tinky dropped his younger brother to the floor. “Grow up like the rest of us. We have to wait for the perfect time!”

“They’ve just renovated PEIP for the first time since 1979! Ya know who’s gonna be there? John, Xandy, Icacks – _both_ of them! Alex Hill, Holloway, _all_ the people we need to reclaim will be there, so why can’t we strike!”

“Because we aren’t powerful enough, obviously!” Tinky snarled, running a hand through his horn.

“Who says we aren’t?” A different voice spoke up. Everyone turned around to see Nibblenephim standing tall, taller than they’d been previously. It made the group laugh their wild laughter, but Nibbly held up a hand to them all. “Underestimating your new leader, it seems?”

“Man, who the _fuck_ is going to accept the fact that _you_ are stronger than me and Wiggly?!” Tinky asked, turning around to face their brother. “You don’t speak, you dress in _leather_ while the rest of us dress in our professional Victorian suits, and you are there in _leather,_ in _jeans!_ Who do you think you _are?!”_ He asked. What he didn’t expect was a cold gust of wind that filled the realm. The blood on the floor swirled up into a tornado like structure, and it headed straight towards their brother.

Nibblenephim didn’t fight it. There was nothing to fight after all. He let the damn thing consume him, and once it passed, he was dressed entirely different, and there was another girl besides him. The girl was dressed in pink jeans and had a rose gold leather jacket on, a pale pink shirt beneath it. Her vibrant pink hair stood out against her hazel eyes as she folded her arms, kicking her tan, heeled boots up. She looked to the man beside her, who had black hair darker than the realm itself, highlights of blue gleaming in the blood. His hair, similar to Wilbur Cross’, was long, but only just above his shoulders. He wore a pink hoodie and a white shirt underneath that, black jeans becoming his signature look. He wore military boots and a belt. He looked to the rest of the group and chuckled.

“Sorry, I don’t think we’ve had a proper introduction.” He extended a hand to Tinky specifically. “Nicholas Benjamin Johnson. And this is my daughter, Eleanor Paula McNamara, or, who you’ve known as Nibblenephim for all this time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have been debating myself whether nick should come back since i started this anyways 
> 
> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
> 
> also i write this because i got a pass mark for maths


	20. The World Might Surprise You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> four eldritch gods have a therapy session with the most recognised villain of sypf, benny's hiding something and john's back at work

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (to continue from the summary:) or is he

With little to no response from the other gods, who seemed likely in shock, Nick lowered his hand and brushed himself off, clearing his throat. “I see.” He cracked his knuckles and continued speaking, stretching in a way that made all his joints pop, which made some of the gods turn away, grossed out. “Understandably, you’d want an explanation, wouldn’t ya?”

“Why would we, bitchboy?” Tinky asked, sizing himself up, a soft gaze of wind turning the collar up on Nick’s jacket.

Once again, he appeared unfazed. As a matter of fact, he ignored the gesture and afterwards, he pulled out a chair for Elle. He gestured for her to take a seat, to which she did, her eyes a soft pink colour and alit with the devil’s flame. He, instead, began to pace around the room. “You see, we aren’t so different _after_ all.”

“You’re a fucking human. We’re eldritch deities. What makes you think you can compare to us?” Tinky asked, clearly trying to make a stand, and the younger girl laughed.

“Because, guaranteed, we’re going to be your best bet at taking down PEIP.” She said and raised an eyebrow. “Eleanor Paula McNamara, John’s adopted daughter.”

“And I, Nicholas Johnson, legally Johnson-McNamara, was John’s husband. We know everything about that bastard that you need to know.”

Tinky, after falling silent for a few minutes out of pure defeat, turned his back on the others. “We have the information that we need.”

“But…” Blinky began, standing from his chair, looking to the two pink-clad members. “But hypothetically… _what_ can you offer that we can use?”

“Well.” Nick cleared his throat and looked to him. “Allow me to introduce myself in full.” He looked to the gods and smirked. “Born November 16th, 1982, I’m a Scorpio. Already, that should tell ya somethin’ about me. Now, I got married to John when I was…24. Not long after did we adopt Elle. Anyways, when I was 36, an event named The Apotheosis struck, which I’m sure you’re aware of.” Pokey made a purring noise after hearing the reason he was involved, and Nick nodded. “And this right here is the reason mine and John’s marriage fell apart.” He pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal a large, dark scar on his chest. “I got stabbed by one of the infected. Straight through the back, plunged right through my heart.” He watched as the gods examined him with curiosity, and before they could get too involved, he lifted his shirt back up.

“So how are you one of us?” Blinky questioned at long last, and Elle chuckled.

“We’ve been a part of _every single rest_ you have thrown at us.” She admitted, running a hand through her hair. “I watched as dad died, I watched as he chose the right side. I was a _coward_ for choosing the side of the light. John convinced me that dad was no good, that I should learn to let him go…and then-.“ She let out an obnoxious laugh and looked right back at the gods. “During The Apotheosis in dimension 3, well, John McNamara left us to die.”

“He took everyone else alive on the island and transported them away. He got back to safety with his widdle husband with the belief there wouldn’t be a consequence.” Nick shook his head. “We just had to wait for our time to strike.” He grabbed a chair and sat beside his daughter, clasping his hands on the table. “Now here’s what y’also need t’know. I was a colonel once.” His voice became cold, and a sharp breeze blew throughout the empty realm. “I was a colonel once, and I was the best damn colonel in the force. General Gareth Icacks was my mentor. And he taught me not to get attached. So, damn me for breakin’ the rules!” He looked at the dolls, his eyes specifically lingering on Wiggly. “And y’wanna know who _else_ was trained by General Icacks?”

“John?” Wiggly asked, becoming uncomfortable under Nick’s gaze. Instead of a smile, the man let out a cackle, and then his face became set in stone as something so sharp and cold that it proved he wasn’t to be messed with.

“You wish.” He said and smiled. “Colonel Wilbur Cross was trained under General Icacks. Your little Wilby.” He pointed fingers to each of the gods, and the room murmured with discussion. “And then Wilbur trained John. Y’see, me and Wilbur? We were trained with the same standard beliefs as each other. No wonder we get on so well.”

“You know Wilbur?” Tinky asked, and Nick nodded.

“You may call us…acquaintances.”

“They fucked in a dimension.” Elle butted in, and Nick hit her arm gently.

“We promised to never speak about that.” He hissed. “That was _before_ I realised he was ten years older than me.”

“How old are you?” Tinky asked, and Nick sighed.

“Right now? 36.”

“Ah. Nah, he’s like…17 years older than ya, man.”

“It’s a shame.” Wiggly giggled. “He’s a _fine_ specimen.” He gave his signature giggle and Blinky glared at him.

“Wiggly, what the _fuck!”_

“Oh, hush youwself, Bwinky. Don’t twy to tell me you wouldn’t fuck him if you got the chance.”

“You are literally the only one thinking that.” Pokey piped up, looking to his brother.

“I bet Webby would.”

“Webby is a stuck up, mathematician, Pinterest aesthetic, ‘ _if I were a human, I’d have a TikTok account where I only post myself simping for girls,’_ prude!” Tinky burst. “Also, she’s a lesbian.”

“No, Webby is definitely a lesbian.” Pokey nodded in agreement, and Wiggly rolled his eyes in defeat.

“She’d fuck _Winda_ then!”

“She wouldn’t fuck Linda, what are you- are you feeling okay?!” Blinky asked and walked to his older brother, pressing his gloved hand to his brother’s forehead, only to get swatted away.

“I’m good.” He said before looking back to Nick. “You wewe saying?”

“I was _saying_ that me and Wilbur are…close. Me, Linda and Wilbur…my _fuck!_ We were some of the most powerful people Hatchetfield had ever seen! Putting it down to prospects, however, we were seen as the villains. There wasn’t a necessary reason for us to be there, ‘raining havoc’ and all of whatever…but we want revenge. But we can’t do it alone.” He clicked his fingers towards the gods. “We gotta show Hatchetfield what the truth really is. How what they’ve been taught is, you know…a _lie.”_ A wave of excitement washed around the group again, the blood they were all standing in forming rhythmic ripples, gently splashing up on to the legs of the others. “But me and Elle, well, we can’t do it alone, can we, darlin’?” He asked and turned to face her.

She shook her head, moving her hair behind her ear and stood up, clearing her throat. “Not to steal Pokey’s entire thing but…we gotta know, what do you _want.”_

“Ya see,” Nick said and crossed his arms, fixing the strings on his hoodie. “What’s needed is, for our dearest Nibblenephim to come home, we gotta get to PEIPHQ first. And the only way we can really do that is if you tell us exactly what’s needed.”

“Well, I wanna be appreciated more by these assholes!” Blinky stood up and pointed to each of his brothers. “I’m bein’ serious! I know that having a piece of my soul linked to an amusement park isn’t very intimidating and being the god of cameras isn’t either. But they underestimate me all the time! Like…I _summoned_ two evil robots from the future to come and defeat PEIP! And, in simplicity, it worked! I controlled the portal and managed to start everything back up! What I want is for my brothers to realise that, just because I _am_ the youngest, that I’m not the least powerful!”

Silence settled in the room, and the ripples in the floor stopped. Apparently, the remaining brothers hadn’t expected such a violent outburst from their youngest brother. That’s when Pokey spoke. “I don’t want people to refer to me as Astraia anymore.” He said quietly. “Cuz…my name is _Pokey!_ My name is Pokotho! And uh…Astraia just makes me really uncomfy, and I have to try and figure out how I feel comfortable cuz, I had a dress for a long, long time, and you guys all have suits and-…I don’t know, I just wanna be more accepted, I guess…” He said and shuffled uneasily in his seat. “I don’t wanna be silenced anymore…”

Tinky turned his head and looked at his little brother, not quite expecting that from him. He knew that, up until recently, he’d been known as Astraia. The name had meant something to do with the stars, Webby had always said, just joyful to have another sibling of her own form and had hoped he’d be better. But apparently, he wasn’t as shy as people originally thought. He was just scared about being himself. His thoughts were interrupted by Wiggly who started talking.

“Uh, I guess what _I_ want is uh, to be seen as something mowe than comic welief.” He looked to his brothers, his shining eyes dulling slightly. “Yeah, I’m a bad guy! We all awe! But it doesn’t mean that I have to get the bwame for it because I’m the oldest! I don’t decide what you do or what you don’t! Usuawwy, you only go to me if you need some sort of weiwd advice! I’m your older bwother! I just wanna care for you!” He admitted. “I know I’m the gay sibling, and I know that I want more fwom other people, but I can’t help that.”

Tinky looked to his brothers and shook his head. “Fuck it.” He raised his voice for it to be louder. “You guys have always known I’ve wanted power and, y’know…maybe I don’t _want_ power. Maybe I just wanna protect you guys? Wiggly’s the oldest, we all knew that, and I’m second oldest but…we really don’t talk that much. Like, I didn’t know the reason Pokey was going by Pokey! And-and I didn’t realise the teasing was too much for you two!” he gestured between Wiggly and Blinky. “Maybe I want my brothers back. Maybe.”

“You can say you want us back,” Blinky said quietly, and Tinky nodded.

“Okay, I want you back-.“ At that, Pokey launched himself on to Tinky and latched on to him, the other two getting up and holding Tinky in a group hug. “Okay, okay, you’re still all assholes and I still hate your guts.”

“I love you too!” Pokey squeaked up, adoration in his deep blue eyes as he peered up at Tinky. Tinky smiled and pat his brother’s back as he was released from the hug, holding Pokey close to him.

“We’ll get you a suit, I’ll bribe Webby to make you a suit.” He spoke quietly and ruffled Pokey’s blue hair before he looked up to Nick. “And why is this necessary, Johnson?”

“Because now you’re all a team or whatever, betrayal won’t be an option.” He clicked his fingers towards Blinky. “You can open the portal, right?”

“Of course…?”

“Then that’s stage 2. Deities, we are going back to PEIP and we will secure what we want. There are a few…souls down there that need to be put back in place. And it starts with us.” Momentarily, Nick’s eyes flashed red, and a low rumble of a laugh formed in his throat.

It was going down.

* * *

Dressed in a grey hoodie and fitting slacks, still partnered with his boots which appeared to be the _only_ pair of shoes that he owned, John McNamara walked the halls of PEIP, his hand locked with Xander’s. He leaned his head against his husband’s forearm and smiled softly. “Can you believe this?” he asked. “Today we hand out the new missions and get everything back up and running again. Today, we become what General Icacks wanted me to be.”

“I do find it hard to believe.” Xander squeezed John’s hand and continued walking. “We didn’t have much time, but with Lou and Benny’s help, we got it done quicker than what I hoped for.” He admitted it to himself and turned the corner. “So, Slate, Hartford and Schaffer are guiding the agents to the briefing room where we are going to give them the missions they’ve been wanting for months at this point.”

“I can’t wait.” He smiled and stopped outside of said briefing room, taking a breath. “Are you ready, Lieutenant?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be, General.” He looked down at John and smiled, kissing his forehead. He pushed the door open, and immediately the room erupted into cheers. John put a hand up to his team and stood on the chair at the top of the table as Xander shut the door.

“Alright, alright!” He said and looked at them. “As you may all be aware, you had the month off to do whatever you wanted so that, while I recovered from a highly unfortunate incident, I could sort out the missions you would all be working on for the time being. Now, I am aware that this is strictly for the field agents and those on comms and not for those in medbay. Mentors, I will be discussing mentees with you after this briefing. Now!” He hopped off the chair and sat down, Xander placing a file in front of him. “I need to introduce you to a new member of the team. This is Lieutenant Alexander Lee-McNamara. He is our theoretical physicist, and he is damn good at his job.” From beside him, Xander cleared his throat, and John rolled his eyes. “He’s my husband, I’m permitted to say that.” Immediately, hushed mutters rose from around the room, and John had to silence everyone again. “I expect you treat Xander with respect- are you going to grab a seat or?”

“I’m fine here.” Xander shrugged, placing another file in front of John, and John sighed.

“Anyways!” He began handing out the case files to the small groups which didn’t take long, and then he discussed with the mentors when their mentees would arrive and when they could start training with their new partners. At the end of it, it was him, Xander, Schaffer, Benny and Lou in the room.

“What are _you_ gonna do, John?” Xander asked softly, and John shrugged.

“I think, considering I’m not in uniform because I’m not fit to be doing any sort of mission, I’ll be going with Slate to check on comms.”

“Be safe.” Xander spun John around the second he stood up and kissed him softly, passing him a radio. “Keep me updated.”

“I will, I will.” He chuckled and kissed him again, ignoring how Lou made a fake gagging noise. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

“I love you mo-“

“Love is dead.” Schaffer interrupted, pushing between John and Xander, forcing them to separate. “Private Hartford! We’re dismissed!”

“Yes, ma’am!” She grinned and hopped up. “Bye dads! Have fun!”

John laughed softly and pecked Xander’s lips once more before looking at him. “Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir.” Xander saluted to John before turning on his heel, heading in the direction of his lab, which left Benny and John alone.

John smiled softly at the young recruit and motioned him forward. “Let’s regroup with Yates, then, huh?”

“Sounds good, sir.” Benny rose from his chair and followed General McNamara out of the room. Together, they walked to the communications booth where Ruth Yates sat proudly in her chair, watching eagle-eyed over her desktop. “Heya, Ruth.”

“Hi, Benny!” She smiled happily and spun around, not expecting to see McNamara there at all. “Jesus- I didn’t expect you to be back on the force yet, sir…” A nervous sweat appeared to form on her forehead, and he laughed lightly.

“I’m not here to try and scold you, or threat you for dating my daughter, Yates. As long as you treat her fairly-.”

“Sir, with all due respect, she isn’t…uh, she isn’t actually my girlfriend.” She cleared her throat. “And we didn’t go on a date.”

“Wait, you didn’t?” Benny asked and looked at her. She turned back to her computer and began typing things back into the database.

“Unfortunately not. But we rescheduled though!”

“So you are… _going_ on a date with my daughter?” John asked, and Ruth nodded.

“Well-okay, it’s complicated. But it’ll be a proper date. Lou said, ‘getting Starbucks doesn’t count as a proper date.’” She snorted as she laughed and sighed happily. “She does mean a lot to me, though. And I like her a lot.”

“Ah. Young love.” John smiled and took his seat beside Benny, looking on the comms and then up to him, to see him almost lost in thought. “Slate?”

“Hmm?” He snapped out of his trance, looking to his general. “Oh, I’m okay!” His attempt was cheerful, but there was clearly something bothering him, for his smile was a little more crooked than usual and his eyes seemed less enthusiastic than they normally did. John couldn’t help but wonder if something had occurred between Benny and Ruth. He found it unlikely, but anything could happen at PEIP.

He watched as Benny scanned around the cameras, taking notes on locations, and then set up on sending emails out to other people. Coincidentally, the camera that Benny had left on was the one in the portal room. John felt compelled to look at it, unable to look away. The nagging feeling in his stomach wasn’t letting him draw himself away. Apparently, his instincts were right, for the portal began to spit, and his heart began to pound. He moved closer to the screen and watched as the portal burst a brilliant green. The camera began to flicker, and John stood up. He clicked the button on his radio. “Lieutenant?”

 _“What’s up?”_ Xander asked from his lab.

_“What’s up is the place is going on lockdown.”_

Xander laughed on the other side of the line, almost as if he didn’t believe him. _“So soon? Why?”_

“The portal’s back in action.” He watched the cameras closely, and once they started flickering, he saw six majestic figures. The one on the left had green hair and resembled Wilbur in many more characteristics than John wanted to admit. The one beside him, the tallest, had light blonde hair and goat horns that protruded from his temple. He wore an iridescent black-to-yellow suit and had a long braid that reached his mid back. The one beside him was a small looking fellow who wore a masquerade type mask in silver, details coated it in blue. It made his blue eyes appear deeper than they were. He wore a similar styled suit to the one to his left, though it was blue-to-purple instead. To the right of him was another being who wore a costume with variating shades of purple patches making up for the main body. The stomach was of a bright pink, and the head had a massive yellow eyeball in it that seemed too realistic for it to be just a costume. The remaining two were people John had never seen before. A young girl and man around 6’ tall with a pink hoodie on that had white writing on it that John couldn’t decipher. With John’s hand shaking slightly, he took a breath. “Get away from the portal room. Put that entire hallway on lockdown, understand?!”

 _“Understood loud and clear!”_ Xander called from the end, and there was the sound of a door hissing to a close.

“Who are they?” Benny asked as he peered to the screen, watching as the purple one turned to face the camera directly, his eye forming a smirk, waving with his gloved hand.

“They’re our _friendy-wends!”_ A bitter voice spoke from behind them. Benny jumped into action, drawing a gun only to see a small person dressed in a purple shirt with purple wings on their arms. They wore pink shorts and opaque pink tights as well as sneakers, but their eyes were unnaturally yellow. John swallowed. “Don’t you want to pway, John?” As the figure began to laugh, his radio buzzed again.

_“Try and get to the briefing room. We need a new plan.”_

“Damn right we do,” John whispered, staring at the creature, as he tried to think of how to negotiate something with it. What were they gonna do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am not sorry. 
> 
> also trans pokey is canon stfu


	21. The Timer Is Ticking Down...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> pokey loves and appreciates mr tinky and all the gods commit murder. except pokey, who figures out who he actually is

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im not sorry :D
> 
> also mild mention of blinky wanting to throw up because he also believes that romance is dead and john gets all sappy/j he actually doesnt blinky is the leader of the anti mcnamander club which is a crime

The Gods stood back as they watched Blinky take form in front of the group. He rubbed his gloved hands together and, in a bright flash or purple light, a frame of a portal appeared in front of him. A black form blank, but it was their ticket to the outside world. He had to focus, thinking of the end goal, and outstretching his left hand, the portal was suddenly filled with a green barrier that swirled purple in the middle. He grinned, though they couldn’t see it, and turned back to the others. “This is the exit.”

“ _You_ formed the portal?” Wiggly asked, moving closer, and Blinky nodded.

“Yeah. Did ya really think PEIP did all the work? Of course they fuckin’ didn’t.” He patted the outer rim of the frame and smiled. “This baby gives me access to the real world. How do ya think you’re able to _see_ through the floor?”

“The floor’s a portal?” Pokey questioned, and Blinky shook his head.

“PEIP _did_ make a prototype of a portal back in 1983, but it failed. It sucked _ass._ So, I stole it. We can’t use it because it doesn’t do portal-y things. It just acts as a window. But this little thing? It’ll take ya _anywhere._ The base in Russia, the one in PEIP, wherever.”

“That’s actually really cool.” Pokey said and stood up. “But aren’t they gonna know who we are?”

It was then Tinky stood up. A smirk formed on his face, and he cracked his knuckles. “No, they will not.”

“Why?” The innocent youngling asked, and the older God smiled gently at him.

“Well, we are gods. We know everything, we’ve _seen_ everything. But do you want to be let into a little secret?”

“Sure!” He chirped excitedly. The much taller man crouched down to Pokey’s level.

“I’m from a different dimension.”

“Wait, what?”

“And so is Wiggly, and so is Blinky, so is Nibbly and so are you. There is a form you haven’t been able to access yet because you haven’t encountered your scarred. Not physically, at least.”

“What’s a…scarred?” The young sloth-like entity asked, and that was when Wiggly piped up.

“A scawwed, bwother, is a pewson with simiwar qualities to you that you picked up fwom another dimension. For example.” He pointed to himself. “Wilbuw Cwoss,” and then he pointed back to Tinky. “Andwew Kilgowe.”

“Because, in that dimension, we were heavily involved in making that person’s life _hell,_ a part of their souls bonded with ours, and in total, here we are!” He gestured to the others. “And our scarred are gonna allow us to blend in.”

“Cool!” Pokey said and smiled. “So…how do we do that?”

“Ugh,” Nick rolled his eyes and walked forwards, closer to the portal. “How about we sort this out when we are inside of PEIP?”

“I’ll teach you when we’re there.” Tinky smiled to Pokey before looking at him. “Alright. Let’s go.” He didn’t hesitate before stepping through the portal. Blinky took a little longer, but he had the idea, so that they could buy more time, that he was going to drag his Sniggles along with him. With the cameras flickering on and off temporarily, Blinky allowed his Sniggles loose and watched as Skirrel headed straight towards the comms room. Once the lot of them were there, and the portal hissed to a close, Tinky turned back to Pokey. “Alright, just focus okay. Just focus. Focus on the inner core of yourself, and you’ll be there.”

Pokey nodded and shut his eyes tightly. He focused hard on what was going on, even if it was hard considering the fixed stone mask he wore against his face. He focused on his soul and watched as the blue heart he was focusing on began to merge. It formed a different kind of person. Before he could accept what was going on, he was consumed in a blue light, which caused him to jump. He found himself in Tinky’s arms, supported by his brother, but what was different was how, as he looked around, they were all roughly the same size. Pokey had always been the smallest of the group, and now he was 6’ tall. He looked down at his hands, which were now a pale white, and he eyes, though usually a deep blue, were now natural. “Oh my God…”

“Okay so we got a Paul Matthews.” Blinky said as he stretched.

Pokey smiled and looked at Tinky, flapping his hands excitedly. “I did it!”

“You certainly did.” Tinky ruffled his hair, which was thinner than it had been before, before he turned into his own being. A man with gingery-golden hair with teal eyes, who seemed professional by the way he was dressed. His hair, though long, wasn’t in a braid anymore, and lay loose against his shoulders. Tinky shuddered at the relief and smiled. “Andrew Kilgore at your service.”

Another bright green light burst on the other side of the room where Wiggly stood. He didn’t change much, but he seemed more colourful. His hair was some sort of black with red undertones, he had freckles on his face and wore a denim jacket. Actually, he wore all denim. “I can’t believe Wiggly wears triple denim.”

“I’m being hate cwimed.” He said and folded his arms, which got Elle to burst out laughing.

“Alright, big guy, why don’t you say that in non-uwu and then convince us.”

“How about it, lady?” He asked, and suddenly, his voice mimicked Wilbur’s exactly. He was shorter than the colonel had been, just under 6’, but taller than Blinky, who remained his 5’11 self, and also stayed as his god like appearance. “Ya changin’ at all or…are we relyin’ on some _fool.”_

“Ah, now there isn’t any need to get cocky, brother.” Blinky clicked his fingers towards him and shook himself off. “It’s all a part of the plan!”

“So.” Nick said, taking control, his pink hoodie now an olive green. “We’re gonna split up. Regroup here in about…half an hour?”

“Sounds good.” Wiggly purred, and the ex-colonel nodded, satisfied.

“Alright. Eleanor, sweetheart, stay by my side. Now go!”

“Yes, sir!” The other gods called, and left the room, leaving Nick lost.

“They’ve changed the _fucking_ layout.” He grumbled, and Elle rolled her eyes, tugging on his sleeve.

* * *

Left alone, it gave Wiggly, or should he say _Wilbur_ the freedom to do whatever the _fuck_ he wanted. He knew he was a ruthless bastard. He didn’t need to be told that twice, especially considering he was heading towards medbay. A few significantly injured people wouldn’t add to their plan, and they certainly wouldn’t be missed.

What he didn’t realise, however, was the medical bay was split in two. He wanted to kill the unfortunate, not locate his way through a maze. He also wanted to find his _buddy-wuds,_ he wanted to set them loose. Only two of them were his properly, but he could be assured that Jane Perkins, the Emdroid and Paul 23 were going to contribute nicely to what was forming in his head. He knew he’d benefit from them.

He had a few close calls with some of the agents who almost caught him. One of these instances was Schaffer telling Louisiana Hartford that she could start her shift early, which gave Wiggly more time. He knew that Wilbur was tied down, so to see an identical copy of him aimlessly wandering around could raise suspicion, and he’d be gunned down. There wasn’t a doubt about it. Using his masterful wit, he escaped any near misses, and found himself in the dismal hospital ward where his _friendy-wends_ lay. Linda and Wilbur were awake, and they seemed to register each other’s presence, but they didn’t speak. They were silent. Boring.

He sat down between Linda and Wilbur’s bed and crossed his legs dramatically, causing the two to look at them. “What the fuck…” Wilbur asked and furrowed his eyebrows.

“I know the drugs they put us on were strong, but I didn’t think I’d start seeing _double_ of you!” Linda scoffed, and Wiggly, offended, rolled his eyes. He giggled, which definitely gave it away. “It’s you!”

“It’s me!” Another flash of green light and Wiggly returned back to his normal, green form. A modern green suit over a white button up work shirt, a black watch on his left wrist. Dog tags rested neatly on his chest, and as he ran a hand through his permanently wet hair, it turned a dark green. He blinked, and his eyes went from a green to a bright blue. The light freckles that appeared on his face turned into dark green blobs, the very same that scattered the doll version of his face.

“What are you doing here?!” Wilbur asked, his eyes wide in astoundment, and Wiggly giggled once more.

“Me and my bwothers decided to take PEIP down. Also Nibbly revealed who he actuawwy is.”

“And I missed it? Damn.”

“It’s John McNamawa’s ex-husband. Appawently you two hooked up in a dimension.”

“What? Me and him or?” Wilbur asked, and Wiggly looked back to Linda.

“Oh. No it was both of you _and_ him. His name is Nick Johnson, and he has a dawghter called-.”

“Eleanor.” Wilbur finished and laughed. “Are you all here?”

“The five of us. Nick let us wun loose! We don’t have much time, but we’re gonna kill a few people. You up for it?”

“Fuck yeah.” Wilbur jerked his arm away from a machine, where an alarm immediately raised. “They’ve had us chained down for damn days!” He spun, and as the other three members of the room woke, he helped Linda up and smiled. “Darlin’.”

“Wilbur.” She said before shrugging him off, walking to the other three, untying them. “Uh, guys, this is Wiggog Y’Wrath, or Wiggly as we call him. He’s a god.”

“Oh. Nice.” Emdroid said as she cracked her neck, her eyes buzzing back to lab. “Wait, why are you here?”

“We murdew people!” He announced, his eyes glinting, and Paul 23 laughed softly.

“Now _that_ is something I can get on board with. There’s no time to waste!” Leading the rest of the group to the medical ward, he looked at the agents who lay almost dead. He’d be doing them a favour. He giggled, and the agents seemed paralysed with fear. “It’s okay! You’ll be in dwosy town in five…fouw…thwee…two…one.” He stepped back as Wilbur, who’d grabbed a gun, began raining fire, hitting nearly each and every single individual. Whether they _did_ die or not wasn’t their problem now. They had no time to waste.

* * *

“Stay close.” Apparently, Pokey wasn’t taking too well to his new, taller, form, which meant he was reliant on his older brother to not trip and fall on his face in the middle of the hallway. He kept Pokey’s hand tight in his and walked in the direction where he would get his revenge. He just needed to find an empty room.

“I’m trying!” Pokey, once again, fell, and Tinky, for the eighth time, caught him. “I’m a skinny white boy!”

“I thought you wanted to be a boy?” Tinky asked, helping him back up, and Pokey frowned, adjusting the mask on his face.

“No, I don’t _want_ to be a boy, Tinky. I _am_ a boy.”

“Sorry, I got my wording muddled…” The older god sighed and let go of Pokey as they exited PEIP.

“Wait, where are you going? I don’t think we’re allowed outside of the precinct!” He said and Tinky sighed.

“Look. I’m going to go and kill a few people.”

“But I don’t want to do that.”

“Well, unfortunately, you don’t get a choice.” He looked at Pokey, who shifted uncomfortably. “Look just…just go and get Blinky or something. I’ve gotta go.”

“You won’t be too long though, right?”

“Right.” He squeezed his younger brother’s hand and looked into his eyes. “I’ll be back. I promise.”

“Okay. Love you Tinky.” Pokey said before turning back inside the building, holding on to the wall, trying not to trip over his own legs.

Once the sight was clear, Tinky immediately started striding in the direction to Ted Spankoffski’s house. That bastard. As T’Noy Karaxis, he hated him. As Andrew Kilgore? How _dare_ he steal Jenny. First, he beat the shit out of him just because he was jealous that he got the girl and wallowed out of pity for years of his life, and then he was the reason Kilgore died.

He reached into the pocket of his blazer and felt the familiar metal of The Box drop into his hand. He smirked and ran a hand over his face, which was now bearded, like Kilgore’s. He couldn’t say he appreciated _that_ fashion choice of Kilgore’s, but aside from that, he was a very respectable man. He also felt a familiar controller drop into his pocket. One with a singular red button on it. He smirked.

Up to the front door of the Spankoffski household did Tinky walk, and he left the box floating in mid-air. He put it on, using the technical term, “disguise mode.” It stayed there floating, and Tinky knocked on the door before hiding behind the tree in their front garden. He watched as the door opened, and he watched as the puzzled face of Theodore Spankoffski looked at his box, Jenny beside him. Tinky had to resist a snarl as he watched them inspect it.

“What is it?” Jenny asked, and Ted shrugged.

“It’s probably a prank.” He held it in his hands, plucking it from the air, and now Tinky’s plan could begin. “It’s just a box.”

 _“The Bastard’s Box.”_ Tinky informed and watched as fear dawned in both of their eyes. He appeared from behind the tree and watched as the colour dropped from Jenny’s face.

“Andy?”

“Hiya, darling.” He said, beginning to put on a show. “Why are you still with this douchebag? We’re supposed to be in Clivesdale right now.”

“I’m with Ted and you know it- sorry, weren’t you _killed?!”_

Tinky laughed and watched as the couple tried to figure out why he was there and ultimately failing at their job.

“Was I?” He asked them and tapped his chin. “Well, in a dimension I may have been…but not here.”

“You died in front of us.” Ted spoke for the first time since Tinky made his appearance. He pointed a finger at him before blinking. “Wait…aren’t-wasn’t Kilgore 5’9?”

“Yeah, he was.” Jenny blinked and looked at Ted. “Why?”

“He’s my height…that’s not Kilgore…” Ted’s eyes widened, and he backed inside, a headache forming. “No. No, no, no this can’t be happening!” He gripped the box tighter in his hand as the disguise crumbled away, leaving the golden ornate box in his hands. “No!”

“Oh, but it is, Teddy Bear.” A bright flash of yellow light stripped Tinky from his disguise, leaving him with his suit, and his braid, and no beard. “Miss me?”

“What are you doing here?!” Ted shouted at him, and Tinky’s smile turned into a smirk. Whatever Ted was expecting, it certainly wasn’t to see the controller again. The controller he killed Jenny with. “NO!”

“Tick tock, Teddy Bear! Tick _fucking TOCK!”_ Tinky pointed the controller directly at Ted and pressed the button with no hesitation. He watched as he crumbled into dust. Jenny, who’s face widened out of shock, cried out Ted’s name before turning back to him. She ran towards him, but didn’t make it past the doorstep, for he pressed the button again and she met the same fate as her lover. He watched as the box hoovered the ashes up. The god outstretched his palm and let it fall back into it. Once evidence was cleared, he turned and walked away back to PEIP with the knowledge that Ted Spankoffski and Jenny Wilkinson were going to be stuck with the _real_ Andrew Kilgore.

It wasn’t long before he met back up with Wiggly, who’d regrouped their original duo plus the other three members. He cracked his knuckles. “Where’s ice age baby?”

“Pokey?” Wiggly asked, and Tinky nodded. “Oh. He’s doin’ his own thing.”

“What does _that_ mean?”

“He’s in here.”

“Tinky!” A lighter voice spoke. Out bolted the younger brother who launched himself at the goat and resulted in being lifted up and spun around.

“You’re small again!” Pokey giggled and rested himself against Tinky before Wiggly looked at him. “Asshole. At least he trusts me.” At that, Wiggly shrugged. “Where’s Nick and Elle anyway?”

“No clue. Lost, I bewieve.”

“Don’t you think we’d better go and retrieve them?”

“Probably-.”

“Hi guys, I just commit murder for the first time and I’m high on adrenaline!” Elle ran into the room, her face smeared with blood, Nick following her close behind.

“Who the _fuck_ did you kill?!” Tinky asked, stroking Pokey’s hair as he began to purr.

“I don’t know. Someone coming from the gym. They stopped and looked at dad. His name was uh…Matthew Tren? I don’t fuckin’ know. He got heart eyes for my dad, so I stabbed him!” Her eyes lit up again and Nick clasped a hand on her shoulder.

“And that is proof she’s my daughter and _not_ John’s.”

“Fuck John!”

“Fuck him!” Nick smirked. “Where’s Blinky?”

* * *

While the other’s dispersed around PEIP, Blinky knew exactly where he had to go. He had to go straight to Lee’s lab. He walked with as much grace as his Sniggles and found himself at the lab. He opened the door and the fact he could _feel_ Xander’s smile before he even turned around was sickening. “I thought you said I had to go to you, babe.” He said and spun around only to see his former nemesis. “What are you doing here?”

“Babe? Really?” Blinky snorted and looked at him. “Is that what you and John get up to?” Xander fell silent, but his face remained set with determination. “No Firefly? No Honeybee?”

“How did you-?”

“I’m an eldritch God, Alex. How do you think.” He picked up a scalpel and tossed it in the air, catching it in his pawed hand. “That’ll come in handy.”

“That’s stealing.”

“It isn’t.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Not when I’m you.”

“What?” Xander asked, having to cover his eyes from the bright purple flash that formed, and when he was able to move his arms away, he saw an identical copy of himself dressed in what he usually wore to work, but his eyes were purple. “What the _fuck?!”_

“Alexander James Lee from dimension 4bxc2189d. I’d introduce myself, but I’m sure we’ve already met.” He chuckled, and before Xander could process what was happening, he was on the floor passed out. Before he faded out of consciousness, he watched as his clone escaped his lab and headed towards where John was in comms. He subtly places his hand on the Skirrel’s back and got him to move, walking into the room. Blinky fired the gun and Skirrel acted as if he’d been shot, which he hadn’t,

“Xander!” John, at the sight of his husband, ran forward into his arms. Blinky almost threw up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, I’m okay. But we gotta go. I cleared a room by med. I’m gonna need you and Benny. Schaffer wanted to speak to ya.”

“Okay. Benny, grab your things, we’re going.” John said, and Benny nodded frantically, ensuring he was equipped before Blinky exited the room.

“Hey,” Blinky said and cupped John’s face. “It’ll all be okay.”

“I hope so.” It wasn’t until they were outside of the room and John could hear Xander screaming inside that he realised about the purple irises. “Xander?”

“Wrong again, Honeybee.” Blinky said sarcastically. With a bright purple flash, he returned to his normal state. He quickly pushed the two men inside and locked the door, taking place by his brother’s.

John ran a hand through his hair, flipping it back to its regular state and scrambled to Xander’s side. “Are-are you okay?”

“I’m fine, my head just hurts a little.” Xander looked at him and pulled him into a hug. “It’s gonna be okay.”

“Keep wishin’, pretty boy.” Nick spoke, taking centre stage in front of John and Xander. “Hi, Nicholas Johnson. And you, Jonathan. You let me die.”

John’s eyes widened as he looked up at the taller man, his breath hitching. He gripped Xander tighter, and Xander shushed him.

“It’s gonna be okay.” It _had_ to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyway so i had the concept for the dolls to be someone else from a different time line and i was like "how tf does blinky = xander" and then zoya wrote a unIT of a fic the other day where xander went to watcher world and now the jay and zoya hf universe continues. so the scarred, the tamed and the victims are three different groups. 
> 
> The Scarred: Variations of the gods that can be present in other timelines that are not equal in the one they rule in:   
> Wiggly: Wilbur Cross  
> Blinky: Xander Lee  
> Tinky: Andrew Kilgore  
> Pokey: Paul Matthews  
> Nibblenephim: Nick Johnson  
> Webby: (i can't reveal that one yet-)
> 
> The Tamed: The Hatchetfield 6. A corresponding member of the Hatchetfield 6 equals to one god. kinda. pokey doesn't have one. or blinky so-  
> Wiggly: Linda, Ethan and Wilbur  
> Blinky:  
> Tinky: Ted Spankoffski  
> Pokey:   
> Nibblenephim: Jane Perkins (i'll die on this grave)  
> Webby: Xander Lee
> 
> The Victims: everyone who has fallen to that one eldritch god in that reality so:  
> Wiggly: everyone in the lakeside mall but more specifically: Wilbur Cross, Linda Monroe, Lex Foster, Becky Barnes, Hannah Foster, Ethan Green, Tom Houston, Emma Perkins, Paul Matthews, etc.   
> Blinky: Alice Woodward, Bill Woodward :)  
> Tinky: Jenny, Andrew Kilgore, Theodore SPankoffski  
> Pokey: Paul Matthews, Emma Perkins, ft everyone else from TGWDLM but not schaffer bcs schaffer is the baddest bitch  
> Nibblenephim: John McNamara, Xander Lee, Elle McNamara, Lex Foster, who tf else has nick hurt idfk
> 
> anyways leave a comment if u enjoyed heteros(derogatory)/j


	22. The Nightmare Time Already Caught You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> everyone gets vibe checked. literally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for context: 
> 
> in the ending scene the name of "Elliot" is mentioned. This is my trans oc named Elliot Peterson. He was Benny's boyfriend. Absolutely don't get your hopes up, he died off screen.

The hesitation was imminent in the soldier’s eyes. He had his arms wrapped tightly around John, holding him close yet protectively. He understood what these Gods were capable of. John may have a brief idea of what they could do, but not once had he ever experienced it first-hand. Xander, on the other hand, certainly had. He watched how powerful they were while he was trapped. He watched how they harmed, and they injured, and they laughed in the face of those who mourned. They were ruthless.

“John, look at me. Look at me.” He said softly and cupped John’s cheek, but an overly obnoxious laugh came from before him.

“How sweet! Trying to save your husband.” Nick shook his head, scrunching his face up as he laughed again. “It’s inevitable, Xander! Ya think you’re gonna save him?!” He snorted out of spite and backed away, shaking his head. “You’re cute.”

“You have the heart of a fucking demon.” Xander was being honest. Nick was horrid. He had every chance to escape him, and he had hope for this one dimension. This one dimension, he’d had hope that he’d escaped the monster that was Colonel Johnson. He should have learned not to get his hopes up so high. Nothing ever came easy to him.

“Thanks for the compliment!” He smirked and sighed, shaking his head. “You know, you’ve got some real capability. Being ‘ _The Entity’_ and all. I wanna know what it’s like being Webby’s Tamed.”

“Being Webby’s Tamed means nothing to you. Nibblenephim hasn’t even _come_ into our reality, into our existence. You’re playing God.”

“And you’re not?”

Xander growled and held John closer to his chest. “You know I don’t have to play a God when I _am_ one.”

“You want to be one.” He shook his head. “Truly, if you _were_ a God, surely you’d be up here with the rest of us?”

“I argue that your daughter, Nicholas, _isn’t_ a God.” He said and looked at him sternly. “And neither are you.” Xander didn’t expect Nick to pull a gun out of nowhere, and he certainly didn’t expect him to, out of retaliation, fire it directly at John. Thinking quick, he threw himself in front of John and held his hands out in front of him, allowing the light he produced to become a force field in one way or another, repelling the bullet off of it. It hit the floor lousily, and Xander shook his head. “We don’t need to fight.”

“Apparently we do.” The dark-haired man snarled once more, the other Gods itching to get fighting. “We want your little doll.”

“You’re not taking my husband. And don’t even _start_ about the argument that he was ‘ _yours first.’_ That was the other John. This John didn’t know who you _were_ until a month ago! He knows nothing about you aside from the things I have told him, none of which are positive, and all of which are the truth!”

“What about you, Xander?” He asked and crouched down to their height as the forcefield faded. “Did ya tell him about how weak you were? Killin’ yourself on Christmas Day?!” He laughed in Xander’s face. “You’re pathetic-.”

A loud gunshot sounded throughout the room, and it hit Nick square in the head. The quick figure of Benjamin Slate ducked behind the desk at the back of the room. It was a miracle he wasn’t seen. The other Gods looked around the room, and Elle seemed particularly distraught. She went to go to her father’s side to see if he was okay, but another gunshot from the same person hit her in the exact same way, and she fell limp on top of her father.

While the Gods seemed shocked at the sight before them, Xander stood, helping John to his feet as well. “What’s gonna happen?” The general asked, gripping Xander’s arms slightly.

Xander, staying in front of him, shielding John from the exposure that were The Lords In Black, cracked his knuckles. “Get under the desk.”

“What?”

“Fight from a distance. Gunshots will hardly wound these fuckers.” He continued to speak quietly. “Now go.”

“Under the desk?”

“John-. Yes, babe, under the desk.”

“Got it. I love you.”

“I love you too.” The second John let go of his arms, Xander turned and allowed himself to be consumed by a bright burst of blue light. Dressed in a sleek blue suit, the very same he’d been trapped in The Black and White with, he let his hands light up, his entire eye socket glowing blue. “Let me have ya! Throw it!” He shouted, none of it logical, but it was enough for the dolls.

He should have known it was a bad idea to take on the five of them at once. He had no backup aside from two gun wielding men who’s only protection was him and an old desk. Great. He had to fight twice as hard now. He watched as Pokey began to glow blue, similar to how the lieutenant was. He watched as Blinky placed his helmet back on, the eye narrowing. He watched as Wiggly began to float in the air, a cold chill filling his entire sense, and he realised it must be because Tinky was, well, tinkering with The Bastard’s Box. Thinking fast, he immediately shot a blast of blue light towards the small box, and, successfully, it tumbled out of the goat’s hand and on to the floor.

That was the start of the entire thing. Tinky growled loudly, and a rhythm began to fill the room. Slightly distracted by the sudden new senses, it gave the Gods an advantage. Blinky pounced on top of Xander, pinning him to the floor. It was immediately a fight between the two of them. Xander wrangled to get his alternate dimension evil counterpart off of him. He was winning, until he didn’t realise that Wiggly was shifting back to his final form, and a gunshot fired directly towards him, stunning him badly.

From the side of the room, Tinky had managed to get The Bastard’s Box open. It gleamed a welcoming yellow, but the eternal maze inside where his pally-wals were currently wandering alone certainly was not. He smirked and took Pokey’s hand. “While they’re at it…go get the boys.”

Pokey nodded, his eyes lighting up excitedly, and tapping his feet on the floor to test it in a way, he set off towards the desk.

John couldn’t stop looking at Xander as he fought with Blinky. He was scared for him. He was really scared. “I’m gonna shoot him, Benny.”

“No, sir, don’t. You might hurt him…” Benny kept his voice to a low whisper, keeping his eyes focused on Xander. He wanted so desperately to call out to his Lieutenant and tell him that Blinky was a massive fucking eyeball, and that stunning him with a torch or a bright light was their best bet. But he didn’t want to die either.

“I’m gonna-.”

“Shoot him?” A harmonic voice appeared from beside them, and crouched down was Pokotho holding John’s gun. “Do you want to harm my bwother, John?”

John’s eyes widened and Benny moved in front of his general, not scared of the god before him apparently. “You can’t hurt him. Not through me.”

“Yeah?” Pokey asked and hummed. “We’ll see about that.”

Benny scrambled out from under the desk, already taller than the God he stood before. He didn’t notice Pokey have time to fire a bullet that hit somewhere under the desk. He was too busy figuring out how to take the fucker down. It was a split-second decision, but he placed his hands on the desk beside him and used his entire arm strength to lift himself up, and from there, he kicked Pokey in the face, knocking him back. It was enough for him to drop the weapon. Watching as the young god whimpered in pain, and blue goop started dripping on to the floor, he made his retreat and Benny knew he succeeded. He grabbed John’s gun and dove under the desk again, looking at him. He locked the sides down so they’d be safe, noticing how the general was very still.

 _Too…_ still.

“General McNamara?” He asked hesitantly, sitting in front of him. “I-I got your gun back…” John’s movements became slow, almost dazed, as he sat himself up, and Benny noticed the side of the desk smeared in something. John reached for his gun, and Benny handed it over, digging in his pockets to find his phone. He put the torch on and immediately knew what it was. Blood. He shined it at John, and he winced, shielding his eyes. One hand was on his chest, and even though he was trying to hide it, a stain was forming on his grey hoodie. “Oh my god!”

“Benny!” John hissed, taking a short breath. “I’m fine.”

“He shot you!”

“I’ve been shot before. I’ll be fine.”

“Not on y’chest, y’never have! I know y’records back to front, sir!” Benny’s heart began to pound, and he swallowed thickly. “Uh, shit, do you have a radio?”

“I left it in comms…” John admitted, and Benny scrunched his face up in frustration.

“Dammit…” Benny sent a frantic message over to one of the best doctors in the precinct, Doctor Kirk, and hoped he’d see it. It was unlikely, though. He never checked messages at work unless he was on his break, and Benny _knew_ that it wasn’t his break. He kept the flashlight propped up against the desk and looked at John. “Sir, I’ve called for backup. Here, you’re not applying enough pressure.” He moved John’s hand out the way and began to put pressure on the wound, causing him to flinch. “I’m sorry, sir.”

“It’s okay, you’re just…you’re just doing your job…”

“You’ve gotta stay awake, you know that? That’s the one rule I got for ya. Keep talkin’ to me, okay?”

“You sound just like Xander…” John laughed, and Benny could feel the amount of blood that hit his hands. John winced harder and leaned helplessly against the desk.

“I know, I’m sorry, I’m sorry sir…” He didn’t want to be hurting his general. He wanted to save him. “Do you have an exit wound?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Alright…” one handedly, Benny quickly informed Dr Kirk about that and continued to apply pressure.

“Ben, there isn’t any point trying to get a doctor…” John admitted at long last.

“What do you mean?” he furrowed his eyebrows and looked at John.

“Son…I know I’m gonna die.”

Those were words you _never_ wanted to hear. Ever. Coming from John was ten times worse. “No.”

“It’s gonna be okay. PEIP is in good hands.”

“No!” Benny cried out, continuing to apply pressure more than before, but he felt weak. “No, I won’t let you die!”

Outside of the desk, Xander could hear some sort of commotion from where John and Benny were. He was still busy wrestling Blinky off of him. He could feel water beginning to fall to the floor, he could still see the brightness of The Box, and now he was wrangling his enemy. Eventually, it got to the point where Blinky was pressing on his heart, and he felt something snap in his chest. He yelped, and as a reaction, punched Blinky straight in the eye. It stunned him. Xander immediately climbed out from underneath him and stood up. His vision was fading from the halls of PEIP and back to The Black and White.

He could see the dimmed redness of the blood that was falling on to the floor. It dripped in thick bundles, endlessly running down the walls. It was at a quicker pace than usual, and the level was so high it was above his ankles. It was rising; rising in large merciless waves that would consume him with zero hesitation. More blood dripped to the floor, _drip, drip, drip,_ and the roaring of the waves around him became too loud to enable him to function. He was standing in the middle of a tsunami, and he waited for the moment that it was going to engulf him and wouldn’t spit him back out. The thickness of the blood and the pain in his chest began to leave him dazed, so he closed his eyes and tried to find peace. He regulated his breathing as fast as he could, but the chilled air signified he wasn’t alone.

The water was being controlled by the god of the seas, accompanied by the viscosity by the god of poetry and music. The roaring he was hearing was becoming clearer, even if it was still as faded as before. It was a laugh, but the laugh of the god of time and space himself. He opened his eyes again and saw the silhouette of the four remaining figures in front of him. Angered, and with one final push, he screamed out, his entire vision being filled with blue energy. His blue light.

The black cleared. He found himself back at HQ, but something didn’t seem right. Xander, though longing to fall to the floor with his knees weak, took a final glance at the five men before him. Five clones of people he knew either mildly or personally. He shook his head, instantly regretting his decision. The room spiralled around him. His mind went back to _his_ clone. Bliklotep. The fact Bliklotep was a clone of himself from another universe it…it didn’t make sense. He wasn’t a bad guy. Why was he so…so revengeful in that universe? Or was he just being used as a puppet by the actual gods? He may be Blinky’s Scarred, but it didn’t mean he’d grow to be that man.

Every bone in his body longed to declare this war over so PEIP could keep on with their lives. He couldn’t do that. It wasn’t over yet. He knew that, no matter how many hours he’d lived in denial for. He wanted it to end. He wanted to settle down with John and be _happy,_ goddamit! He pointed a shaking finger towards the leader of their pack and looked up at them, his eyes sharp. “You leave. You’re not welcomed here.”

“Funny,” Tinky spoke. “It was unbeknownst to _us_ that we weren’t wanted here.” The group laughed as he stepped forward, gripping Xander’s shirt. “Of course we knew.”

“Mark our words, Xan.” Blinky spoke as he looked at him. “Our fight isn’t over with you. And it ain’t over until each one of you is dead.” Bright flashes of light consumed the room, one yellow, one green, one blue and one purple. The lights of PEIP came sprinkling down, the glass attempting to slit the skin that protected him, and Xander had no choice but to defend himself.

He collapsed to the floor and got in a crouching position, covering his head, closing his eyes once more. Whatever burning sensation in his chest he had was getting worse. He took a breath, allowing himself to calm, before he opened his eyes. The room was plunged into darkness. There was the dripping of something, something like water, and he had to double check he wasn’t back in The Black and White again.

“Lieutenant?” Came a shaking voice from the left side of the room. “You…you can create light, right?” Their voice was uncertain, and it sparked worry in the man.

“Yeah…what’s wrong, Ben?”

“Uh…we got a problem.” He sounded as if he were restraining a sob from exiting his throat. “It’s John.”

Whatever remained keeping Xander motivated from the fight became transparent. It clicked. John was hurt. _John_ was hurt. No wonder his chest was hurting so much. He ran over to the desk and unlocked it, pushing it out of the way. He couldn’t see the issue that was occurring before him, so, with some effort, he was able to aim small, harmless beams of blue light up to the broken bulbs, which was able to keep the room lit. He looked back down to his husband and the younger agent and the first thing he noticed was the pool of blood that surrounded John. Bile tried to rise in his throat, but he forced it down. He crouched down beside him and pulled him into his lap. “Slate, go and get Kirk, and inform Schaffer. Don’t let _anybody_ else in here.”

Benny nodded. He looked like he wanted to speak, but the tears in the recruit’s eyes were opaque and somehow prevented him from forming sentences. He removed his unsteady hands from John’s chest. They were painted in the deepest red. He didn’t follow correct etiquette, bolting from the room, going against his training. It didn’t matter. John’s life was at stake.

Xander looked directly down at John, examining the injury he’d obtained. There was an open wound on the other side of his chest to where he’d been stabbed back in The Black and White. It was in the same area where Xander was experiencing extreme pain as well. Blood spilled out and dripped on to the floor. John lay motionless, his hair partially matted by the red that kept him living. His head lay on one of his arms, almost as if he were asleep. John’s blue eyes were turning grey, and his skin was getting paler. In such a scenario, John wouldn’t ever admit he was losing his fight. He’d pull himself up and finish the job. What was the scarier part was that he wasn’t fighting it. He wasn’t fighting it anymore.

Xander’s chest ached more as he shifted John to a better area, trying to avoid getting covered in blood. John’s sweatshirt was covered in blood. It was drenched. Xander, fearing the worst, placed two fingers on his husband’s neck and felt the faintest of pulses. He was trying to be optimistic, trying to convince himself that there was time left for him. That, if Kirk got here quick enough, he’d be saved. He, however, couldn’t be optimistic when he saw how slowly it took for John to react to the warm of Xander’s hand against the cold of his own neck. He watched as John’s eyes slowly moved to look up at him. A hand, John’s hand, reached up. It hooked on to Xander’s shirt collar, and with the remaining strength, hoisted himself up against his chest. “Hey.” Xander’s voice came out soft and meek, his arms supporting John up, blood continuing to spill.

“Hey.” John’s voice was at the quietest it had ever been. There wasn’t any indication that he was the general of the united states military. His strong façade, his bold facial expressions were dissolved into nothingness. This wasn’t his John. This wasn’t how John was supposed to go. “I’m sorry.”

Xander looked down at John, his brown eyes blurring by a gloss. “You can’t be serious.”

“Pokotho stole my gun…Benny tried. He tried to disarm him, and he shot me anyway…” He shivered and moved closer to Xander for warmth. “I didn’t think I was going out this young but…but PEIPs got you now. Lou’s got you. America’s in good hands.”

“I’d say you shouldn’t speak like that but…you’re too far gone.” He took one of John’s legs and moved him into his lap, trying to avoid the hiss that he uttered as he was being moved. “You’re too far gone, aren’t you?” Xander’s chest ached more when John offered a subtle nod.

“I lived long enough to meet my soulmate, to meet my kid, to get married…to save the world.” His voice started fading. “I don’t care if I’m honoured or not. I fought for equality, not for honour.” He placed his hand on Xander’s chest. “Aren’t you hurting?”

“Big time.” The physicist replied, kissing John’s forehead, continuing to watch the life fade from the eyes that had been so bright hours before, filled extensively with hope. “I’ll win the fight for you, John. I’ll come and get you; I promise.” He watched as John’s hand moved from his chest, cupping his cheek instead, brushing a tear away with his thumb.

“I’ve done my part.” A smile began to form on his face. “You made my life worth living. Back in high school during those exams where you’d use morse code to not give me the answers but tell me erotic things…because my surname begins with M and yours is L, and we were sat right next to each other.” He smiled a little more and looked at him again. “You’re the reason I signed up for The Hatchetfield Six case and I’m forever thankful. You changed my life. _Even_ the little time we had together after you came back-.“ his breath hitched as his head lolled slightly against Xander. “I’m grateful. For you. For everything.”

Xander shook his head again as more tears dripped on to John’s clothing. He could see John was struggling to hold on. He ran his hand through John’s hair, but it came back slightly stained by blood. “John if you need to let go, stop fighting. You’re safe.”

“But _you_ aren’t.”

Though he was right, Xander couldn’t bear to see John in so much pain. “It doesn’t matter about me.” He looked back down to John. “Jonathan Myles McNamara-Lee, I love you more than anybody. And I’m so glad I could call you my husband. I won’t let your memory die.”

“I love you too.” The next part was slow. Soft kisses pressed to John’s forehead; the reassurance things were going to be okay without him…he hoped John couldn’t tell he was lying. “I love you too,” he repeated, his voice cracked as a single tear began falling down John’s greyish skin, the source being his husband’s lifeless eyes. John’s chest stopped rising and falling, and he became still. His eyes glossed over in a permanent expression representing the happiness he’d felt. Even while he was dying, the sight of Xander bought a smile to his face.

Xander, shaking even more, found it harder to breathe than ever, and it wasn’t just because part of his heart was gone. Now he knew he was more than likely going to end up with the same fate as John had. His hands wouldn’t remain still. Having to shut his eyelids, to stop looking into the things that bought him comfort was hardly an understatement to say he broke then and there. He couldn’t stand to stay silent. He sobbed. He let his pain wash out of him in harsh screams, tears falling out of a never-ending stream. He could have fought harder; he could have tried harder to redeem him. Now he was gone.

When the rest of those who were aware of the situation came in, they found their Lieutenant cradling their General. The world stopped. “He was bleeding really badly after the attack,” Benny told his mentor, his voice cracking. “He told me he didn’t have much time left. Schaffer, he knew…and, and I tried to stop him- he was persistent he was gonna die and…and I guess he was right…” He had to look away from the scene.

Schaffer watched them, her eyes widening by a fragment. Nobody had ever thought that the day their General would die would come so soon. She could see the pain in Xander. The blues in the room were deep, a direct reflection of what he was experiencing. Keeping a calm façade, she turned back to the doctor, who had a bed ready to go. “Inform Micah Icacks about the loss. We need a hospital room for Lieutenant Lee, and we need to try and get John back.”

“On it, ma’am!” Kirk said and went to go in the room, only to be stopped by her firmly placing a hand on his shoulder.

“And for the love of god, Nathaniel. If your phone starts going off urgently, what do you do?”

“Answer it, ma’am…” he took a breath. “Even if I’m spending the last of the few days I have with my boyfriend before he goes back to The White House.”

“Now go.”

Dr Kirk nodded and wheeled the bed inside. There was an ear-splitting scream that came from Xander as John was placed on the bed and taken back to the hospital room. While she got the chance, before she had to keep Xander calm, she turned directly to her mentee. “I want you to inform Louisiana of her loss. She’s at her home at the edge of the site. Understood?”

“What about the others?” Benny asked, and Schaffer shook her head.

“We mustn’t inform the rest of the precinct until Xander approves of it.”

The younger agent nodded, wiping his eyes. “On it, Schaf…” He watched Schaffer walk into the room with Xander and took to trying to calm him down. Micah came down the hall and smiled sympathetically to Benny. Benny nodded to him and wiped his eyes but turned on his heel and walked to the exit of PEIP. He knew where the McNamara’s lived, everyone did, so it wasn’t a surprise when he found it easily.

Benny’s chest ached. He’d been suppressing sobs for so long. He hadn’t thought that he’d ever have to comfort his dying general while Xander fought for the three of them. He never thought he’d have to wash John’s blood off his hands as he informed Colonel Schafer what was happening and how it was more than likely John wasn’t making it back. What was even worse was that he wasn’t able to tell George about what happened. He wasn’t gonna go around spreading that John was dead without Xander’s permission. He needed to keep to the rules. Then he couldn’t be blamed. Even still, that pain wouldn’t compare to what Lou was about to experience. He knew how much John meant to her, how free the adoption made her. Frankly, he was scared. He was really scared.

He found the right key to the house and walked inside. To no surprise, he found Lou at the table on her laptop, her usual spot. She seemed peaceful. There wasn’t anything that was troubling her and…and she was finally happy. He was going to strip it away from her. He was going to rip away all her happiness, and he knew she wasn’t gonna like it. He understood why it was going to be his job, why Schaffer was placing him in charge of this job, but…he didn’t want to do it. He didn’t want to lose his friend.

He sucked in a breath and tried to calm his shaking figure as he walked into the kitchen where she was sat. He took another breath before he walked over to her and nudged her to grab her attention. She looked up and grinned, taking her headphones off.

“Hey you! Did the mission go okay? You didn’t message me. I didn’t think you’d be back yet. Ya just told me that shit was going down a few minutes after I was dismissed!” She chuckled, but when he didn’t return the gesture, she started to figure that something was wrong. She tilted her head, beginning to examine her friend’s face. She could see the pale tear tracks on his skin, how glossy his eyes were. Something was wrong. “Benny?”

He didn’t know how to break the news to her, and he knew how impatient she got if someone attempted to keep information away from her. It was just easier to get it over and done with, right? It had to be. Maybe if he told her upfront about it, maybe she wouldn’t hate him. He didn’t know what he was gonna do if she hated him. First Elliot leaving him and…he couldn’t jump to conclusions. “General McNamara’s dead, Lou.” He couldn’t look at her, but by the tension in the room rising, he didn’t need to to understand how she was feeling. The aura in the room changed immediately. What was originally yellow, the sunlight glistening through the windows turned red.

They stayed frozen while Lou processed the information. John was gone. He was dead. Her mentor, her father, was dead. The man who’d given her safety, had taught her everything she’d ever known was dead, confided to the afterlife without a return. He promised her he’d always be there for her. Why had she gotten her hopes up that he was different? She should have known even _he’d_ be just like everyone else. Everyone had an end, but their life was just beginning. He wasn’t supposed to die. Tears sparked as she found herself asking why he was gone, why did he have to go? She was struggling to come to terms with it. Benny could have been a little bit gentler. “What?” That was the only thing she was able to squeak out as she looked back up to Benny.

“I’m sorry, I was there and-.“

“You were _there?!”_ Her chest stung harder then. “What do you _mean_ you were there?!” She stood up from her chair, slamming her laptop lid down. “Could you have prevented it?!”

“He was already too far gone!”

“No, Benny, that doesn’t answer my question! Could you have prevented it?!” She repeated, her voice much firmer, and when he began tripping up on his words, she knew the answer.

“I tried to-!”

“Oh, I’m sure you did!” Her voice was bitter, full of hurt and betrayal. Logically, she knew it wasn’t his fault, but who was she to assume?

“Lou, he was too far gone!”

“ _Nobody_ is too far gone, Benny!” She said and looked at him. “God fucking dammit I can’t have anything!” Tears began to fall harshly as her voice turned rough. “The _one man_ I learnt to trust after you, after everything that happened with my dad! The one person I looked up to who has done more for me than anybody and he’s _dead!”_ She sobbed and immediately wiped her eyes.

“I promise you; I was ordered by Colonel Schaffer to grab Kirk!”

“So, Schaffer is also responsible. Isn’t _that_ a coincidence!”

“She wasn’t there when he died!”

“Yet she gave you the order?”

“She’s my mentor, she kinda had to.”

“And guess what! My mentor is _dead!”_

 _“_ By the time I got back, he was gone, okay! There wasn’t anything else I could do!”

“You knew he was dying!” She looked at him and shook her head. “You could have prevented this, Benny! You could have stepped out sooner, you knew you could have!”

“No, Lou, please you don’t understand-!“

“And maybe I don’t!” Her chest shook with a repressed sob. At some point he deserved to see her at her worst. Now, she didn’t need to tell him what she was thinking. She could tell he knew. “And maybe-maybe _you_ don’t understand how I’m feelin’! Maybe you can’t tell me what I understand and what I don’t! You come in here and tell me that John’s dead. You know how much he means to me!”

“Of course, I do! Do you think I wanted to do this job?! D’ya think it’d make it any easier on me! Twenty minutes ago, I had his blood on my hands from where I tried to stop the bleeding while Xander fought. It was one versus five! I couldn’t move or I’d have died!”

“I’d rather it be you than him!” She burst finally. She looked at Benny and the colour from his face paled.

“You’re lying.”

“Mister Benny Slate always getting everything he wanted. Got a brother to take care of him without his parents, got a mentor who isn’t a _fool._ Got the job he wanted, got the boyfriend he wanted-!”

“Don’t you _dare_ bring Elliot into this! Elliot ain’t done anythin’ to be dragged into this!” She knew how much he missed Elliot. After he died, Lou and George were his rock. She promised to never use Elliot as an excuse against him in an event like this. Elliot had been seriously ill when he’d passed, and there wasn’t a day that went by where he didn’t miss him.

“And what do I get?” She continued, ignoring him. He didn’t deserve her pity. “Nineteen years’ worth of trauma, a dead dad who I barely got to know and- what about Xander?!”

“What about him?!”

“I just want answers!”

“Well, I don’t know everything!” He looked at her, tears streaming still. “I don’t know all the answers to everything, and you don’t ever fuckin’ realise that! I ain’t that smart and you need to stop being so reliant on me when you don’t know where to go to for clues or for guidance! I don’t fuckin’ know everythin!” He looked at her. “I can’t help the universe! I did everythin’ I could to stop John from dyin’ and you are being so incredibly stubborn that you can’t get it past that thick head of yours!”

“At least I graduated high school!”

“That ain’t my fault!” Benny shouted at her. He never got to finish school because, before Elliot passed, he swore he’d give Benny a child. They both wanted a family, and while Elliot was pregnant, he ended up getting sicker. They only got a few minutes of time together, Benny, Elliot and their new-born daughter, before Elliot shut his eyes and didn’t wake up. He didn’t even get to finish transitioning. “And you know it! I know you’re grieving but you don’t have to be such a _bitch_ about it!”

_SMACK!_

Benny staggered back clutching his cheek as the room went silent aside from the sniffles and the sobs that each of them were stifling. His cheek burned, and his eyes stung. “After everythin I done for ya.”

“Get out.”

“And this is how it ends, Lou? Cuz I told the truth?!” He looked at her, but she wasn’t looking at him anymore.

“I said get out.”

“And what are ya gonna do? Ring ya girlfriend? Tell her how you used everything against me because you could?”

“Ben, I said get OUT!”

“Why should I leave?” He asked. “I’ve been your shoulder to cry on for so many years and suddenly you want that gone?!” He liked Ruth, and it wasn’t Ruth’s fault, but Lou was being cruel. Aside from that, he couldn’t really help but be a little be a bit jealous. He should have known a friend group of three never worked, and he should have realised it wouldn’t work as soon as Ruth came into their lives. He was pushed to the side. He wiped his eyes, flinching when he touched where he’d been slapped. “I love ya, Lou. I’ll always be a call away.”

“Not after tonight you won’t be.” Her voice still dripped with anger, and Benny froze. “I’d rather not have contact with someone of your kind.” Benny grit his teeth and took the insult. “I don’t know what I ever saw in ya, Ben. But I know what I see in ya now. A person who I _despise_ with all of my soul.” Again, Benny took the hurt until she grabbed him and spun him around. “You understand me? I FUCKING HATE YOU!”

He didn’t know where the sudden violence was coming from. Hearing the truth come from her was the true ending. He took a final glance at his best friend…at Private Hartford, before he turned and left the house, scrambling to get away, to not let himself get hurt. Once safely away, he immediately texted George asking for a lift. His chest hurt more than ever. Was this heartbreak? He didn’t feel anything after Elliot died. He felt numb, but now with Lou, every inch of his body burned. He debated running to the Nantucket before George arrived. He had nothing. He only had his daughter he couldn’t take care of. Why was he even there?

His thoughts were silenced when George pulled up and motioned for him to get in. He could hear Lou sobbing inside. He figured she’d already sent a text to Ruth. He hesitantly pulled out his phone and looked on his Instagram. He didn’t want to let go of their memories. He didn’t want to let go of her. But he didn’t love her like that… _did_ he…? He was gay. He knew he’d been gay from the very minute he was gaining crushes on people but…was there the possibility he was bi and had a drastic male lean? He didn’t know, and he didn’t want to think about it. He lost his chance with Lou even so. Ruth could have her now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...so doctor nathaniel kirk is actually the guy in the red sweater who waited in line for the wiggly in black friday  
> ...and his boyfriend is the secretary of defence,,, also from black friday,,, named eric moore
> 
> (i am so sorry i've had this chapter written for so long and i cried while writing it so-)
> 
> BUT FUCK NICK. 2021 FUCK NICK JOHNSON FUC K HI M


	23. Watch My Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr Xander Lee has an emotional breakdown, we meet PEIP Gen2.2 and Schaffer invests in some new recruits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have nothing to say
> 
> that's a lie i have one thing to say: bonkeydabonkbonk

How had it happened so fast? He didn’t understand. It shouldn’t have happened like that. It shouldn’t have happened at all. He and John were supposed to be married, happy, and planning their future with their daughter. There was no reason for him to be dead. But, of course, as per usual, everything _had_ to go wrong because he couldn’t have _shit._ He shouldn’t have had to have held John as he died, comforting him that he’d be okay even though he was fully capable to not be comforted. That didn’t make sense either. For a man so afraid of death, when he finally stared it in the face, he was so calm. The end of his husband’s chaotic story of running into (and away) from fire ended in a moment of eternal bliss.

He should have seen it coming. He’d been so naïve to believe that everything would run smoothly. He was quite some fool for that belief. Ever since he’d returned from The Black and White and adjusted to the new dimension and the new people he’d be around, he’d had hope things would go better than they ever had. If anything, they went worse. John had become their target. It was John and himself who’d become the prime target. The fact he was still their target wasn’t a surprise, for he and Ethan had been in that very same position when they found themselves in the chaos that was the rip in fabric and space itself.

He could hardly notice the difference that was Benny returning at the door with Schaffer and Kirk. He didn’t want them. He wanted John. Kirk walked in and crouched next to him, placing a gentle hand on his back. He said something, but his voice was muffled. Everything else was muffled. He hugged John’s corpse against his chest, still sobbing. What else could he do? He’d fought for so long to get out of The Black and White, to get back to John, and this was how he was repaid. He was repaid simply by the fact he hadn’t done enough. That was pretty fucking clear.

He didn’t hear when Kirk sighed and moved a hospital bed beside him. He didn’t feel when Kirk lifted his hand off his back, but he did feel John leave his arms. Only then did everything click into place. He looked around frantically and saw the dead body of his husband being placed on to a stretcher, being wheeled away. If he’d have been better, reacted seconds quicker, he would have been able to hold him still, to try and revive him. His powers could do that, he was sure of it.

He screamed. Without John, he really did have nobody. His chest hurt beyond belief from where something had snapped. The doctors would probably tell him it was a rib, but he knew what this was. It was heartbreak in its solid form. Something in his heart had snapped, and he was convinced he was going to die. He’d be with John again any second now. He had to be. He couldn’t let his soulmate die while he was there being useless. At least John had a status that made him worthy. Xander was only a Lieutenant. He was seen as a physicist most days, not the soldier he’d been trained to be. He wished he were worthy, and he wasn’t. He hated it, but how could he be so selfish? At least he _had_ a job.

Micah came in the room not too long after with another hospital bed, crouching down beside Xander in his lab coat. It was the doctor variant of a trenchcoat, and though he’d much rather prefer to wear a trenchcoat, it’d do. He looked at his friend and then back to Colonel Schaffer. “Ma’am?” He asked, and Schaffer stepped in the room.

“We’ve gotta get him on the stretcher. He’ll become a hazard to himself if we don’t.” She looked down at the Lieutenant and pinched the bridge of her nose, licking her lips. “You need to restrain him.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Micah looked at Xander and removed the man’s blue blazer, passing it to his Colonel, lifting the man up off the floor. Not to his surprise, he began to fight Micah’s grasp. Micah could feel the scratches and bruises that were beginning to form on his arms and chest as Xander thrashed around like a child not wanting to go to sleep. He quickly placed the man on the bed and placed his hands and legs in cuffs, which secured him to the bed and from hurting himself. This was an extreme case. He didn’t want to do it either, but until the doctors could give him a full evaluation.

Micah pushed the screaming Lieutenant through the halls, offering smiles to those who seemed uncomfortable, until he reached the medical bay. Xander was scream-sobbing John’s name, trying to free himself from the cuffs that were keeping him safe. He looked around for Kirk, but he seemed to still be dealing with John’s body. He shook his head and turned back around to see his apprentice stood beside him.

Before John’s passing, while he was recovering from the stabbing, he hosted several interviews for new agents, and they pretty much all got in. Some of the agents were soldiers, and their mentors were assigned to them once they joined. Some of those were to work in comms, to fly the aircrafts, or strictly to be in the medical centre. Either way, PEIP was growing, and there was plenty of room for these new ones to learn.

Sloane Torres was placed in Micah’s sector, while her close friend, Carolina, was placed under Kirk. Though they were only apprentices, they were fucking good at what they did. Micah clutched his heart jokingly as he calmed beside Sloane and smiled gently. “You sure do give me a fright sometimes, Sloane.” He chuckled and looked back to Schaffer. “So anyways, as I was saying-“

“Shut the fuck up, Micah, you gay ass bitch.” She said, her voice completely monotone, emotionless. “Apologies.” She said and nodded, tucking her ginger hair behind her ear. She looked up to Colonel Schaffer and handed over a clipboard. “I have been in close contact with comms. IT got the cameras up and running. Here are photos to prove evidence of what happened to General McNamara. We have also been looking specifically at what was happening with the Lieutenant, ensuring that in the inevitable case he wound up here, which he clearly did, he would be receiving the right treatment. The cameras detected, if you look at picture 5, that there is a segment of neon purple around his heart. This is the damage given by Bliklotep, and there’s his teeny-weeny brain because he’s a lovesick moron.” She extended a hand to her superior. “Hi, Sloane Jada Torres, ma’am.”

Schaffer took the young girl’s hand, shaking it, looking to Micah, who’d crossed his arms and shrugged proudly. “John’s hired well.”

“If you think _my_ apprentice is good, you should see Kirk’s. She’s a fucking whizz.” He whistled and turned back to Xander. He sighed softly and grabbed a chair, sitting down beside him. “Lieutenant.” He placed his hand on Xander’s forearm, which jolted him out of his sobbing spree. “I know you miss him. He was my cousin. We were never close, but I know he was close to my brother. I’m gonna have to be the one to tell him that. That his son figure died? He’s gonna be devastated. Lol.”

“It’s not funny.” Xander choked out, and Micah turned back to him.

“I’m not ‘lol’ing at John dying. I’m laughing at how my brother’s going to be so deeply upset at the loss of his favourite mentee he didn’t take on because he assigned Johnson to himself and Mack to Cross…” he exhaled deeply and looked at him. “I understand you’re upset, and I also understand you don’t wanna be here.” He nodded. “I wanna be at home too. With Gary? But I’m working overtime because you and John are my biggest priority right now. But, in order for us to help you, we need to know what really went down in there. It was only you, John and Benny versus five gods. Benny’s gone to break the news to your daughter-“

“She was John’s daughter, not mine. I don’t know her well enough to call her that.”

“And John’s dead. We need to hear it from you.” Micah continued, and as he spoke, Sloane pulled up a chair, taking the clipboard off of Colonel Schaffer. She sat beside her mentor, and looked to the Lieutenant, a pen ready in her left hand to write.

Xander gave up on the fighting against the cuffs. He hated the feeling of tears running down his face. Why did he have to be so weak? He was sure that John hadn’t been this weak when he’d gone missing all those years ago and became the first member of The Hatchetfield Six. He laughed pitifully and looked up at the brightly lit ceiling. “I told the gods to fight me. Blinky jumped on top of me. Blinky is a clone _of_ me in another universe, so…he wanted revenge. I was fighting him with everything I had. Then I felt something in my chest snap as he pressed down on to it. I’m fairly sure it was the same time John got shot…” his voice faded to a quieter volume. “Me and John have a soulmate bond. Without him there is no me. I’m gonna die…”

“No, you aren’t.” Schaffer, who remained standing, looked at him. “You’re in good hands.”

“Hands that won’t save my _husband!”_

“Xander.” She continued to speak calmly. “I understand that you’re grieving, but we’re only trying to give you the assistance that is needed to ensure you manage to survive.”

“Good luck, Schaf. It’s not happening.”

While the Lieutenant and the Colonel’s conversation progressed, Sloane looked up to Micah. “And Kirk is still dealing with General McNamara?”

Micah nodded and looked to his apprentice again. “Why? Do you have a plan in mind that requires him?”

She clicked her fingers into the finger-gun formation and shook her head. “Just Carrie. Sir, do I have about fifteen minutes to hunt Private Bates down and ensure she gets her head out her ass?”

Micah laughed quietly and nodded. “You know where I am if I’m needed.”

Sloane smiled wide and hopped off of her chair, placing the clipboard on top of it. To her recognition, Nathan wouldn’t allow Carolina near a dead body, so he’d sent her on break. He didn’t want to traumatise her _that_ early on into the apprenticeship, and Sloane could understand why. However, that _did_ mean that she had no idea where to find her best friend.

Her and Carolina had earned the apprenticeships back from when they were in Sycamore. They’d grown up together and had had fairly mediocre childhoods. Nothing majorly tragic happened to them, which was a surprise considering the majority of the agency did. They did have mild trauma, but they worked through it together. So, when they both wanted to become doctors and St Damien’s didn’t appear to be hiring, PEIP strode into their lives. Literally. Kirk did a talk similar to the one Icacks had done in the very first application for the next generation of PEIP. Kirk, alongside McNamara, did a talk explaining what they did, and her and Carolina were instantly hooked. They applied and got in immediately.

She shook her head and scoffed as she looked around the precinct, walking down the empty hallways from where Xander had come from. About to give up and ring her, she heard commotion inside of one of the empty offices. She poked her head in, and not to her surprise, did she find her group of friends. Dana was up working on the lights, balancing on a ladder that Kian was leant against, while Carrie sat at the desk, two others sat on the floor. She smiled and tapped on the door.

Carolina looked up and her eyes lit up. “Oh, thank _God._ Does Kirk need me yet?” She asked, shutting the files she was working on, but Sloane shook her head, walking in.

“No, but I do.” She gestured to the other two girls on the floor and furrowed her eyebrows. “Who are they?”

“I don’t know, they spawned here or some shit.” Kian replied, his voice bored, as he held the ladder stable to prevent Dana from falling.

“Shut the fuck up, Kian!” Dana hissed as she unscrewed another one of the lights, fitting one of the new bulbs in. “Damn, I knew the Lieutenant was powerful but that’s…that’s some damage.”

“Dana, take a break. My arm hurts.” Kian rolled his eyes, running a hand through his hair, changing the parting so it was flipped to the right instead of the left, and Dana huffed.

“Ten minutes.” Dana climbed down slowly after securing the light, allowing Kian to return back to his friends. “Anyways. Sloane, Carrie, that’s Louisiana McNamara. I don’t know who the other bitch is.”

“I’m literally your twin sister, Dana.”

“I don’t know her.”

“Ruth Yates. She works in comms.” Kian said to finish the battle that was about to happen. “Right. So, what’s going on?” He slouched against the desk and Carrie snorted, pushing him away playfully.

“Fuck off! This is doctor work. Go die or something.” She heard someone sob from the corner of the room, and she tensed her jaw. “Hit me, Sloane.”

“Can I hit you?” Kian piped up, and Sloane glared at him. “Okay, okay! I won’t hit Carrie!”

“Good! Now die!”

“I don’t intend on doing that any time soon!” Kian called as he went back to the computer that was seated on the floor beside Dana. Carolina rolled her eyes and looked back to Sloane, who instantly began talking.

“So the Lieutenant…he’s complaining of chest pain near his heart. He’s-“

“Wait hang on, let me write this down.” Carrie quickly pulled out a sheet of paper from the drawer, and Sloane laughed. “Please proceed.”

“Right, so he’s said he and General McNamara have a soulmate bond. He has stated that the chest pain began when John was shot. He described the sensation as a ‘snapping’ and now he’s just a screaming, sobbing mess. He also sounds like a robot. We’re trying to figure out how to help him, but without Kirk, you were the next best thing.”

“You know what, Sloane? I’d usually be really mad that you wanted Kirk first and then me. But obviously I will be PEIP’s best doctor one day.” She examined her notes, scribbling down a few more words. “And Icacks sent you?”

“No, he dismissed me, but he probably wants an answer soon.”

“Right. There’s only one conclusion.” She looked at Sloane. “Coma.”

Sloane’s eyes widened, her face paralysed in shock momentarily. “Sorry, did I hear that correctly? Put the Lieutenant in a _coma?!”_ She had to lower her voice to a whisper to ensure she didn’t upset Hartford anymore. “Carolina, are you insane?”

“Just listen, okay?” She slid the paper in front of Sloane, pointing her pen at some of her notes. “A soulmate bond is relatively unfixable. They are rare and often hard to come across. Without the other, person b will slowly wither away, which is what is going to happen to Xander. Now, as we are aware, the Lieutenant is heavily associated with The Black and White. In conclusion, so is John. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up there.”

“We had Addy Mcallister run a graph of The Black and White to see if anything out of the normal had appeared. Nothing.”

Carrie laughed and looked at her. “Adam Mcallister? He is going to _hate_ you for calling him Addy behind his back.”

“Carolina, babe.” Sloane sighed dramatically and placed her hand on Carrie’s shoulder. “I know. But he also hates Schaffer because she’s stubborn and I’m relatively sure that he once had to drag John out of the gym because he punched the wall too hard and broke his shoulder.”

“Why did he have to get dragged?”

“Ah. Schaffer was walking with him and tripped him up. It was to knock some sense into him.”

“Oh. Same.” Carrie laughed and continued to explain. “Either way…there is still the chance that John is in The Black and White somewhere off of PEIP’s monitors. Cross could only do so much before he encountered Wiggly and proceeded to die.”

“Like most of the agents here, reasonably.”

“Of course.” She nodded and looked at her. “A coma is a way to get Xander into that state of mind without death. It’s either that, or certain death.”

Sloane scrunched her face up before sighing. “Fuck it, Xander’s going in a coma.” She heard Lou scream at that, and she could hear Ruth trying to calm her down, but both Sloane and Carolina ignored them. “So, Private Bates, are you ready to go and put one of the most recognisable PEIP agents into a coma that he may not wake up from?”

“Unfortunately.” Carolina stood and slipped on her lab coat. “Let’s go, Doctor Torres.”

“It’s not Doctor _yet.”_ Sloane smirked and said her farewell to Dana and Kian, heading straight back to the lab, where Kirk had returned. A look of relief spread on his face as he looked at his apprentice walking back in the lab. “Bates, there you are.”

“I found her.” Sloane strode in and took her seat beside Micah, and Micah nodded.

“Torres, dear, I can see that.” The golden-haired medic ran a hand through his hair, looking up to Carolina. “Private?”

Carolina nodded and stood proudly before the Lieutenant as well as Sloane’s mentor. “So, essentially, what’s happened was the pressure that Bliklotep pressed upon the Lieutenant’s chest so hard that, with the notion of John being shot, it broke his soulmate bond. Xander has an obvious connection to The Black and White, so, it’s fairly obvious I may assume that John’s soul could have wound up _somewhere_ in there. Now, without a soulmate bond which is the one thing that keeps Xander’s heart running, he could die. So, I came up with the fact he’d most likely be safer in The Black and White.” She looked at Xander. “We’re putting you in a coma.”

“What- Carolina, I didn’t agree to that!” Kirk spun around, and she shrugged.

“Sir, it’s the only logical way. It’ll keep him alive, but he can continue his mission from The Black and White.”

“Just do it.” Xander said tiredly from where he lay. “End my suffering.”

After a brief moment of silence that came from the group, they prepared Xander to go under. Kirk placed an oxygen mask over Xander’s face, placed him in a medical gown, and also attached him to various other machines. He prepped his wrist and carefully injected him with the chemicals that’d put him into a safe coma. They had a reverse cure for it if something went wrong that he could wake up from instantly. They watched as Xander’s eyes flickered shut, and he sighed softly. “I guess we have to tell the rest of the precinct, don’t we?”

Schaffer nodded and bit her lip. She knew she’d have to be the one to plan the funeral for one of her closest friends, well, acquaintances from the agency. Their first real interaction, that she could remember, was when he saved her life. She hadn’t asked for it, because she wanted to be with the girl, she’d been in love with for quite some time who’d just been mauled to death before her. Even after, they’d been somewhat close with her love hate relationship towards him. Somehow, she’d become his second in command. Xander had seemed to be the more obvious choice when he returned, but she was assured she was keeping her job when he made his return.

“Okay. I’m going to go and make a call real quick. Without our top scientist and we’re now significantly short on living staff…” she huffed. “Give me twenty minutes.”

The team nodded at her, their eyes fixating on a screen. On the radar was a small, neon blue dot that stood still against the black screen, and, briefly, for a split second, there was a red dot. Kirk managed to take a screenshot of it and took a breath. “Note it down. Code R-3D.2 noted on screen.” He turned back to the rest of his team who looked at it with anticipation. “And grab Schaffer.”

* * *

Schaffer walked down the corridor back to her own office where she sat at her desk, picking up her phone. She punched in the number and sighed, relieved when the people at the other end of the line picked up. “Good morning. Yes, I’m well aware that this call may be unnecessary _but…_ ” she sighed. “I regret to inform you General John McNamara has passed away.” A brief pause. “Oh, the Lieutenant? He’s in a coma.” Some flustered muffling came from the other side of the line, and she sighed again. “Listen, we need a new scientist, and I need someone smart to keep watch on The Black and White…are you up for the job?” A thin smile formed on her lips. “Alright, thank you, Matthews. If you can get here by this afternoon, that’d be great. If not, tomorrow morning. And say hello to Emma for me, Paul. Welcome to the team. Again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANYWAY IT'S A PAULKINS BOOK NOW BABEY
> 
> also u bet ur ass ull be seeing a lot more of miss Carolina Bates, miss Sloane Torres and mr Kian White. as well as Dana, but Dana's Ruth's twin sister sO
> 
> anywyas, paul and emma anyone?


	24. Becomes A Coward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we're throwing it back to my early ao3 days with the best couple starkid have ever produced being too darn cute, and what's this? Benny Slate not being a fucking simp? My heck, it's a fucking miracle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways the "p" in "sypf" is paul matthews
> 
> notes: the name Lillia mentioned later on is Lillia Eastwood, George Slate's girlfriend. The rest is mainly self explanatory

Finding that they’d already overslept and were late to their job already, Paul Matthews wrapped an arm gently around his wife. He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead as she turned, slowly stirring awake. He smiled as she buried into his neck and groaned before her eyes opened. She looked up to him, a smile forming on her own face. “You do realise that we’re late for work, right?” He asked, and she laughed. Her laugh was always a delight to here. It had been since their first encounter back in Beanies in 2018. He’d walked in, nervous as the day itself, and the first time he managed to strike a conversation with her was when he paid her the five bucks that he had in his pocket. He never got tired of hearing it. He never got tired of her.

“Well, it wasn’t me who slept through the alarm!” She told him, and he smiled, kissing her good morning. “They’ll let us off, though. We’re like, what does John always call us? ‘ _The universe’s favourite’_?” She asked and he chuckled.

“I’m sure. We’ll just say we got hung up in traffic or…something.” He sighed and looked at her. “I’ll go start on breakfast. Give yourself time to wake up this time. I don’t want to have to call an ambulance because you tripped on the top step and almost broke your leg again.” He got off the bed and looked at her. “And _please_ be careful on your crutches.”

“Eh, they double as a weapon, dude. I’m sure I’ll be fine.” She smiled tiredly, and Paul smiled in return.

He placed the covers back over her as he walked downstairs, heading directly to the kitchen. He decided on making a simple breakfast for her. Just some eggs and bacon, something easy. He got all of the ingredients together and began to cook them when the phone rang. He sighed and picked it up, only to see that it was Colonel Schaffer on the line. “Oh shit!” He grabbed the phone and leaned against the counters, clearing his throat.

“ _Good morning. Yes, I’m well aware that this call may be unnecessary **but** …”_

“Good morning, I am so sorry me and Emma aren’t in yet. We’re caught up in pretty heavy traffic, but we’ll be getting there as soon as possible- oh shit did I just cut you off? I am so _so_ sorry, Schaffer. Uh…why are you ringing?” He laughed nervously and heard a sigh on the other side of the line.

_“I regret to inform you General John McNamara has passed away.”_

Paul found his mouth hanging open in shock. He ran a hand through his hair and blinked unsure of what to say. “Oh, shit uh…is um, what about Xander? Is he okay with this news?”

_“Oh, the Lieutenant? He’s in a coma.”_

Paul’s mouth would have probably formed into a larger ‘O’ shape if it could have. At the same time, Emma had walked downstairs and snaked an arm around his waist, holding her crutches firmly. “What’s with the face?”

“John’s dead and Xander’s in a coma.” Paul told her, looking down to her, and she laughed.

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m on the phone to Colonel Schaffer right now. She’s just told me upfront.”

“Oh my god…so we’re late for work for nothing. Damn.”

“Emma! John and Xander are basically _dead._ John _is_ dead!”

“For real?”

“For real for real!”

“I thought you were joking, what the fuck?!” Her eyes widened, and he nodded as Schaffer continued.

_“Listen, we need a new scientist, and I need someone smart to keep watch on The Black and White.”_

“Are you basically offering me to use the skills I learnt at CCRP Tech to guard a rip in the fabric of time and space by staring at a computer all day? Or am I the scientist? Wait I don’t have a degree in biology uh-“ He heard Schaffer laugh from the other side of the line, and then speak up again.

_“Are you up for the job?”_

“Gimme a sec.” He put his hand over the speaker and turned back to Emma. “She’s offering us a promotion. You as PEIP’s head scientist, and I’m getting a new position to do with The Black and White. I take it that this means that she’s promoting us, and she wants to know if we’re up for it.”

“Spending less time at Beanies and more time at PEIP? Fuck yeah, I’m down!” She said and hugged him tightly. Paul spluttered slightly at the sudden squeezed and wrapped an arm around Emma, squeezing her gently.

“We’ll take the job.”

_“Alright, thank you, Matthews. If you can get here by this afternoon, that’d be great. If not, tomorrow morning. And say hello to Emma for me, Paul. Welcome to the team. Again.”_

“It’s my honour, ma’am.” He said before hanging up. He looked back to Emma and sighed. “You know what, Em? I can’t believe we’re getting promoted.”

“When are we needed in for now?” She asked and looked up at him, and he smiled.

“This afternoon. So, give or take, we’ve got two hours to get changed, shower, and eat.”

“In true Matthews fashion, shall we show up late?”

Paul laughed at her pitch and nodded. “This time, it is important. I think she wants to get us set up in the labs and other things. I’m relatively sure that there are new agents at PEIP, so I think we need to be introduced to them as well.”

“Okay, I have _never_ seen Schaffer angry, and that isn’t going to change today either. I think we should go _early.”_

“And that, my love, would definitely be a Matthews first.” Paul chuckled and kissed Emma’s forehead before the smoke alarm went off. “Fuck!”

Emma laughed and sat down at the table, watching as her husband began to calm the situation down, serving up their breakfast, working on the smoke alarm. “Burnt breakfast. If that doesn’t say how today’s gonna go, then I don’t know what will.”

* * *

Lou had gone back to PEIP. He knew that. He watched as Ruth’s car pulled up to the McNamara household just as George pulled away from it. Benny was still closed in on himself. He didn’t know what to think, or, even so, _how_ to think. He’d never been good with negotiating his thoughts. He’d never had the ability to string them together into a coherent sentence like Lou had always been. He already missed her. He missed their friendship; he missed her laugh…but Ruth could have her now. He wasn’t needed it.

They drove alone the main road, and Benny could feel as George looked at him. It got frustrating after a little while. He knew that George was most likely trying to check on him, to see if he was getting any worse, but he was the same as he had been five minutes ago. He could see a sentence forming in George’s mouth, and Benny took to looking back out the window. “It hurts, George.” He spoke at last, his voice calmer than it had been before. It had been so shaky when he’d arrived, but mainly that was because the rest of him was shaking at the same time. “Ya grow up with a girl, she becomes your closest friend, she’s your rock when your boyfriend dies, and as soon as her father dies it’s suddenly ‘ _your fault’_ and ‘ _I fucking hate you.’”_

“I get it,” George said softly. “You were only trying to save the General though, weren’t you?”

“Of course I was! I was there when he was shot! I kicked that motherfucking sloth looking bed rag in the face! If it weren’t for me John’d died on the spot! At least- at least I had a chance! I had a chance!” He repeated and looked back to his brother, pleading with his eyes. “You believe me, right?!”

“Ben…” he stopped the car back outside PEIP HQ and took his brother’s hand. “What’s the nickname I gave you?”

“Bene…I still don’t know what it means.”

George chuckled lightly. “Bene means the good. Your intentions _are_ good. You didn’t mean for John to get killed. You were protecting him. You were doing your job. Lou just blew it way out of proportion.” He ruffled Benny’s hair and looked at the building before him. “You’re sure you want to go back in?”

He sighed but nodded. “I gotta. Schaf’s countin’ on me, George. Uh, but I’ll be home by three…so don’t bathe Poppy yet. I wanna be more involved in her life and-“

“Hey.” George cut him off and smiled gently. “I won’t do anything you haven’t asked of me or Lillia. Now head inside. I’ll pick you up at three.”

“Please don’t die on the job either, George.”

“I get off at three. I’ll see you in a couple hours.” George unlocked the doors, and Benny took a deep breath, before getting out of the ambulance.

He was lucky he had such an amazing brother. A brother who’d jump off shift to go and grab him from a disastrous incident. He wished George had a safer job. He hated how his brother was an ambulance medic for St Damien’s instead of one at PEIP. George had suggested PEIP to Benny, and when Benny asked why George hadn’t taken up the offer, he’d laughed. Benny still didn’t know why. Yet, he found himself outside of PEIP, the nerves creeping back up his spine.

He took another deep breath, keeping his mind focused. As he was about to head inside, he heard a voice that caused him to halt. “Ben Slate?” Benny hadn’t heard that voice in so long. Not since Elliot, at most. He spun around and saw the man in question. He’d grown since the last time Benny had seen him. He had to be at _least_ 6’3. He was still the incredibly pale man he’d always been, but he…was different now. He wore a white shirt, a leather jacket over the top of it. He wore black, skinny jeans and the military boots that were provided by PEIP as a part of the uniform. He also had a silver piercing on the top of his left ear lobe, and a small nose ring on the right side. His black hair was long, but it was flipped over to the left. To say Benny’s heart _didn’t_ drop certainly was a lie.

“Kian White?” He asked, and the man, Kian, smiled wide. He walked slightly quicker as Benny met him halfway. “What are you doing here on site? How did you get in?!”

“Ben, Ben. It’s okay.” He laughed. “I’m a Private.”

“You’re not wearing the uniform.”

“Neither did Holloway and Cross, yet they didn’t get fired.” Kian shrugged and leaned against the wall again, tapping ash off the end of the cigarette he was smoking. “Was that your brother?”

“Yep.”

“Why’s he allowed on site?”

“He _technically_ works here…it’s complicated. A _lot_ of things are complicated right now…” He ran a hand through his curly brown hair and shook his head.

“Hey. Everythin’ okay?” Kian asked, blowing smoke into the air. He put his other hand in his left pocket and frowned when Benny shook his head.

“It-“ he laughed. “It _really_ isn’t.” He joined Kian by the wall, but instead of standing, he sat with his back pressed against it. He was surprised when Kian slid down to sit beside him. “So, John’s dead.”

“McNamara?”

“Yep.”

“Was that why the precinct went on lockdown?”

“Yep. Uh. We got attacked by 5 eldritch gods, John’s ex husband and John’s ex husband’s adopted daughter…who were from a different dimension.” He looked at Kian, who looked completely clueless. “It’s a long story…anyways, so these 5 gods are responsible for causing apocalypses. We’ve dealt with _all_ of them. Aside from Nibblenephim, but-“

“Oh, _those_ eldritch gods! Wiggog Y’Wrath and the gang?”

“Yep again. So they broke free back into PEIP, it was me, the Lieutenant and General McNamara in the room. Pokotho got a hold of John’s gun, I tried to disarm him, and as I kicked him back, he fired a shot and it hit John. He died in Xander’s arms and…I had to be the one to break the news to Lou…isiana.” He couldn’t use her nickname now. It wasn’t right.

“Louisiana McNamara? That’s John’s daughter, right?”

“Mhmm. And Schaffer, my mentor, she sent me to the McNamara house where she was, and we had this massive fight.” He laughed. “It’s funny. I knew we were going to fight sooner or later when _Ruth_ came into the picture.”

“Does this Ruth have the surname of Yates?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, because since high school, I befriended a couple other people, one of them being Danielle, who’s Ruth’s twin sister. She is so much _cooler._ She’s a vampire I’m sure.” He chuckled and looked at Benny. “I’m sorry about Elliot, by the way.”

“It’s fine…he wasn’t alone when he went…” Benny looked down to the ground. “He had so many plans and…”

“And then he got sick…”

“Yeah…” There was silence between the two of them for a second. Benny took a breath and continued to talk, gripping handfuls of grass. “We had a daughter.”

Kian looked back to his old friend, definitely not expecting the answer he’d been given by Benny. “You two did?”

“Elliot told me he wanted a baby with me before he died. He actually died during childbirth and um…the last photo I got of him is him holding our daughter…”

Kian nodded and looked away from Benny again, focusing on the ground instead. Him, Elliot and Benny had been really close at one point. Eventually, Kian drifted away from their friend group to join the other friends he’d made, and it sparked a fight between him and Elliot. Benny got caught in the middle of it. Reasonably, he chose to stick with Elliot, because Elliot was his boyfriend. That wasn’t the only reason they got into the fight, though.

The first part of the fight had sparked before Benny had gotten there at lunch. Elliot had become suspicious of Kian. Kian had been one of the only people to know about Elliot and Benny dating, and when he found that out, he became distant. He made new friends and began to sit with them at lunches and breaks instead of his two true friends. It was because, seeing Benny happy with Elliot, it hurt. He _wanted_ to be Elliot, to make Benny smile like that. He wanted to get to snuggle up to Benny’s side, to give him sweaters…he wanted to be Benny’s boyfriend. He knew, that once Elliot had had him, that the only way for him to move on was to distance himself. When Benny arrived, Elliot was clawing at Kian’s throat, literally. He had to be pried away from him.

Seeing Benny again, all the years later when he thought he’d never see him again…the spark relit. His hair looked softer than it did back in high school, and he’d grown. He was still the couple of inches shorter than him that he’d always been, but he was more muscular. He’d grown into himself indefinitely. He was the version of Benjamin Slate that Benjamin Slate had always wanted to see when he looked in the mirror “Can you tell me about her?” He looked back to Benny and shrugged. “Your daughter, I mean.”

“Well, uh, her names Poppy. Poppy Scarlett Slate. I wanted to double-barrel her surname, but Lee’s argument was that what was the point if he was gonna be dead by the time she grew up?” He laughed softly, his eyes lighting up as he talked about his daughter. “She’s two. George’s girlfriend looks after her when we’re both at work, and it’s Benny when I’m working. I…rarely get to see her nowadays…” His smile faltered to a frown. “She needs a dad growing up. She can’t have one when he works all day every day.”

“You should take it up with Schaf. She’s gotta understand.” Kian took a final puff on his cigarette and crushed it on the floor.

“I guess but…what is she gonna do exactly? She can’t just pity me because I’m her mentee…”

“She’s the leader of PEIP now, ain’t she? With John gone and all, and Xander’s in a coma-“

“I’m sorry…what?” He asked and looked at him. “Since…since when has Xander been in a coma?”

“About an hour or so…”

“Oh my god…” He looked down again and frowned. “I got-“ Tears pooled in his eyes as he stood up. “I gotta go-“

“Wait, Benny-.” He reached his hand out for him, standing as well. Benny looked at him, holding back tears.

“I’m sorry, Kian. I’ll-I’ll have to find you again at some point. But I really gotta go.” As he rushed off back inside the building, Kian could have sworn he heard a muffled sob come from his friend.

Kian sighed and pressed his forehead against the brick wall. “Dammit, Kian…we were so close and yet so far…” He shut his eyes tightly before looking back to the door. Schaffer would probably want him back in. He had to go back inside. There wasn’t a doubt about it. Even more importantly, he had to get back to Benny, if he could.

He didn’t want Benny to keep hurting so badly. Benny Slate deserved the world, and he wished more people could see that than just family members and close friends. He didn’t really know who this Louisiana chick was, but from what he could gather, she’d been Benny’s friend for quite some time. She’d know about Benny then, and about how he felt. He hadn’t met her, but he could already tell he was gonna hate her. As he walked back into the building, one thought crossed his mind. _I’ll hurt whoever hurts Benny. There isn’t any doubt about it._

He took his place beside a girl with a thick black braid and green hair. Her name tag read _Q. Johnson._ Kian had never seen her before and figured he probably wouldn’t after. Schaffer was stood on a table, and from the corner of his eye, he could see Benny standing in the corner of the room away from everyone. His eyes were looking at someone just past Schaffer. His eyes landed on two girls, one with platinum blonde hair, the other with thick brunette waves. He took one of them to be Louisiana. He had to stop his lip curling into a snarl as Carolina and Sloane found him in the crowd. He shook his head, ignoring the chatter around him. He wasn’t letting Benny get hurt again. He’d been through enough already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god not q.johnson when will we ever get a fucking break - your answer is never. i've just made another 4 ocs tonight. i think it's because i listened to that one fnaf audio that's trending on tiktok ya know CANT WAIT TO MEET YOU SO JOIN THE ANIMATRONIC FAMILY WE OPEN REAL SOON- yeah i've listened to that since like 22:00 and it's 00:28. so let's discuss:
> 
> paul and emma. absolutely. it's a full cycle. it's a paulkins book from now on. trust me, i'm planning book 5 and they are there. mister kian white defintiely has envious qualities about him, and who tf is q.johnson.   
> well, if we think about the whole "i'll hurt anyone who hurts you" concept back in something you pine for with nick and john,, oh my god nick johnson and q.johnson could it be, especially with the black hair and the green eyes? this is literally a spoiler but im tired and dont give a fuck. anyways. note: there's a connection between the main antag of the sypf series and,,, q.johnson. another note i forgot to mention: kian white idolises wilbur cross pre-portal. anyways-


	25. The Light Inside You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> wuh oh mr and mrs paulkins arrive at the precinct, mr benny slate has a mental breakdown and uh oh what the fuck is private hartford mcnamara doing in the fucking mediwing and why is micah cleaning up dead bodies???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can answer that last question, because wiggly killed a shit ton of people. proceeding:

As soon as one person had been told, it was inevitable that people would want answers. Sworn in as the new leader of PEIP, Colonel Schaffer strode down the hallways, some of the younger agents stopping her in her pathway. She couldn’t stop, though. She had to keep going. She had to get to the briefing room. But, with the new agents, she was unsure that all the agents would be able to fit in there. So, she decided on using the entrance hall as the meeting room.

As she walked into the entrance hall, she noticed Emma and Paul walking in, side by side, Emma still on crutches. She sighed a sigh of relief and stood up straight, nodding at them as they both walked in. Paul chuckled as he looked around, seats in rows around a table that often doubled as a stage. “What’s this about?” He asked, folding his arms as he looked at Schaffer.

“Not all of the precinct is aware of McNamara’s death and Lee’s situation. For that reason, and to prevent rumours, I figured the easiest way to deliver the news would be to get the entire agency in one room. Paul, can you help me with the chairs?” She looked back to Emma and smiled sympathetically. “I’d ask you to help, Matthews, but I figured it’d be a little difficult with the crutches and all.”

“I can sit and help.” She declared and walked over to the stage, hopping up on to it, watching as Paul and Schaffer continued to work. “Also, sorry we were late. We slept through the alarm.”

“If it were any other case, I’d be on your ass. But, if you _had_ arrived earlier today, you could have been some of the many agents who passed away. We needed you two to stay safe.” She lifted another stack of chairs and placed them down, taking one and placing them down into rows around the stage. “So, Matthews and Matthews. Your new jobs. While I get the chance, I would like to discuss them.”

“Of course.” Paul smiled at Schaffer, laying out another row of chairs.

“At the moment, you are both listed as Privates under the database. But, considering you both have received promotions, your rank has been upped to Corporal. Mrs Matthews,” she turned back to Emma, who hummed and looked at her boss. “You are now our chief scientist. You’ve had the most training out of anyone here plus a biology degree earned under Henry Hidgens. Now, he may not have been the most ideal of people-“

“Considering he almost murdered Colonel Carter.” She said and smiled. “Chad’s alright, by the way. I went to see him the other day with Paul. Henry forgot to pick up his medication the other week, so I bought him groceries as a token for not killing the coolest man I have ever met- oh _shit_ did I interrupt you? Oh my god. That’s such a low point for me.”

“You were finishing my sentence. How that doubles as interruption isn’t compatible.” At that, Emma shrugged which allowed Schaffer to keep speaking. “You will be situated in Lieutenant Alexander Lee’s lab until further notice-“

“Woah! Hold on a second, buddy!” She said and looked at Schaffer. “You’re gonna- you’re gonna put me in the Lieutenant’s lab?!” Her eyes were full of shock. “I- I mean it’s an honour, a _huge_ honour but- what happens if he wakes up? Won’t he want his lab back?”

“Until further notice, Corporal.” She said and nodded back to Emma in her direction. “Between you and Icacks, you will be mentoring Sloane Torres. Not to worry, she’s one of the newbies so she works four days a week, and one of those is spent in the science labs. She will not cause you any harm. And Mr Matthews?” She stopped stacking chairs and looked back to Paul. “You will be monitoring The Black and White in a separate lab between Nathaniel Kirk’s office and Alexander Lee’s lab. You’re the only one who can figure out the codes so complex that come through sometimes. For that reason, you shall be the only one on that team unless one of the newbies turns out to be some psychogenius.”

“Got it, ma’am.” Paul nodded and set down his final chair, heading back over to Emma, helping her up. “So what do you want us to do?”

“Take a seat.” She pulled a radio out of her jacket. “Colonel Schaffer to Quinn Johnson? Place an announcement on the comms that I want all agents to come to the entrance hall immediately.” She slid the radio back into her military vest. She walked forward, unlocking the doors, and took her place on the stage as curious agents began to flood in the room. Quinn bought Schaffer a microphone which would make things easier, and Schaffer nodded out of thanks to the younger agent. She cleared her throat and turned the microphone on, looking to the agents. “Alright, alright! That’s enough!”

Immediately, the agents stopped talking and sat down in their seats, looking directly at her. She cleared her throat again and looked down to her agents.

“As you are aware, usually John would be hosting these kinds of meetings. Now, there is no easy way to announce this. It is with my deepest regret I have to inform you all that sadly, General Jonathan McNamara passed away earlier this morning.” As she’d expected, gasps filled the room, and she continued to speak before any hustle could spark again. “He wasn’t alone when he died, having been with his husband, Lieutenant Xander Lee, when he went. Out of respect, his cause of death will remain confidential to close friends and families.” She deliberately chose to avoid Lou’s eyes when she talked about her deceased father.

Gossip stirred once more around the team, wanting to know what was happening, and why it was happening. She sighed deeply again and tapped on the microphone, which soon silenced the group. “I also regret to inform you that Lieutenant Lee was placed in a coma this morning shortly following his husband’s passing. Without this, Lieutenant Lee would have ended up in the same position as General McNamara – dead.”

“So what’s gonna happen to the precinct?!” Someone called up. Schaffer looked in their direction.

“If you’d give me a second, I’d get to that.” She paused and continued to look forward. “Firstly, as John McNamara’s second in command, I will be your new general. Secondly, anybody who has been deeply affected by the passing of the general and also about the current circumstance that happened to those found dead in the massacre this morning as well as Xander being placed in a coma will receive free therapy, and also medical attention if needed. Third, I would like to introduce you to your new head of the science department, Coroporal Matthews, and her husband who will be constantly monitoring The Black and White, Corporal Paul Matthews. Me and a few others came to the decision John’s funeral will be held as a private ceremony, which means any and all information will remain disclosed.” She looked around the silent room before nodding. “Dismissed.”

The scatter of the room built back up as agents went back to their designated stations. Her eyes flickered back directly to her own mentee, who stood still, a blank expression on his face. Her own eyes flickered over to Private White, who seemed like he wanted to approach him. Schaffer handed the microphone back to Quinn and got off the stage. “Slate?” She called over to him, cutting him out of his trance. “My office. Stat.”

“Yes, ma’am…” She heard his quiet reply, and she nodded.

She left the entrance hall and walked back to her own office, sitting back down at her desk. She began answering any other emails that went unanswered, including one from Eric Moore, Secretary of Defence, asking for information based on what happened to the general, and if they had a certain person in mind to be the next general. She emailed him back quickly, ensuring to remain formal and proper. She knew whatever information she gave him would be given to President Howard Goodman. She stopped typing when Benny knocked at the door. “Come in, Private Slate!”

The door clicked open and in walked the tall, lanky figure of Benjamin Slate. He shut the door after he’d walked in and then sat down at her desk, head down.

After moving her keyboard to the side, Schaffer clasped her hands. “It’s not like you to be so far away from Lou…I can only gather she didn’t receive the news well?”

Benny shook his head, shutting his eyes. “I told her the news…she blew it way out of proportion. She…brought my ex-boyfriend into the fight, she told me she hated me…bought the fact I didn’t graduate high school, put herself on a pedestal above me…blamed me for John’s death, and slapped me across the face.” As he recalled the events, tears formed in his eyes. “She rang Ruth Yates from comms an’…she don’t want me in her life anymore. It’s fucking with me, ma’am.”

“You can call me Schaf, Benny.” Her voice was soft. Only Benny Slate could make her feel so soft towards a practical child in an adult’s body.

“George came and picked me up. He asked me if I’d be okay coming back in, and I found out Xander’s in a coma and if I was _five seconds quicker…_ ” He sniffed and opened his eyes, a tear falling on to his pants. “I got a daughter myself at home. I don’t get to see her no more cuz of the job, but I gotta keep workin’ so I can get a house to stop bugging George…she um, she don’t got two parents. Her other dad, her died during childbirth and…and she’s 2. She don’t know much about me and…and I don’t feel like a good dad. _Or_ a good person in general, Schaf.”

“So what can I do for you, Benny?” She asked, looking at her mentee, sliding a box of tissues over to him. He took one and wiped his eyes with it.

“Well, what I _need_ is my brother…but he works at St Damien’s and it’s kinda selfish for me to keep pullin’ him off work all the time lately. And uh, I _would_ appreciate a pay rise…and I want more time with my daughter…if that’s okay.”

She nodded and noted it all down. “So what I’m going to do is offer you an office. I know you’re a field agent, but I also know you’re skilled with the comms department. It’s an empty room that is directly across from mine and is customisable depending on how you want it. On top of this I will be in contact with George, offering him a place as a medic here. We work a lot with St Damien’s, so I believe that they shouldn’t have an issue with a member of their ambulance crew working an extra half shift with us. I’m also granting you a couple weeks off so you can grieve.”

“And what about my daughter?” He asked, and she smiled.

“I suppose, if she’s well behaved, she can come to work with her dad.”

Benny had to resist a sob then. His face crumpled up, and tears fell into his hands. “Thank you, Colonel Schaffer. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

She rolled her chair out from her desk and beside his, hugging him gently. “You’ve been through a lot. I want to make this transition as easy for you and your family as possible. As your mentor, I want to be the one to make that happen. Now, I can’t force Louisiana to be your friend again-“

“I don’t mind about Lou. She’s happy with Ruth.” His face was buried into her shoulder. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“Hey, that’s okay.” She said and smiled as the door clicked open again.

“Colonel Schaffer, sir, Nathan Kirk wants to speak to you-“ Paul had walked in, and his eyes had widened slightly at the sight of the crying teen. “Oh my god, hey buddy, hey what happened? Can I do anything for you?” He crouched down beside Benny and placed his hand on his forearm.

Schaffer smiled gently and allowed Benny to pull away from her. “Private Slate, this is Corporal Paul Matthews. Paul, this is my mentee, Benny. He’s having a little bit of a hard time, and he’s just landed an office so he and his daughter can spend some more time with her dad as she grows up.”

“You got a daughter?” He asked and watched as Benny nodded. Paul beamed back at him. “Would you like a little bit of help adjusting to the new office? I can show you how to place orders, and I can help you make a map of the room?”

“That’d…be great, sir.”

“You don’t have to call me by my title.” Paul chuckled and stood up. “Where’s the office?”

“It’s just opposite.” Schaffer pulled the keys out from her drawer and passed them to Benny. “If you two have any queries, don’t be afraid to knock on my door. Right now, I’m going to make a few phone calls. Dismissed.”

Benny nodded and stood from the chair, stuffing the tissue in his pocket. He walked across the room with Paul, unlocked the door, and stepped inside. “Thank you so much, for helping me…I don’t know where to start.”

“It can be incredibly overwhelming. That’s why I’m here to help.” He smiled softly and wrapped an arm around Benny’s shoulder. “So, how about we start with the desk?”

They began to get to work. They struck up a conversation that never seemed to end, nor did it seem to want to end. He learned a lot about Paul as they set up different areas of the office. Paul Matthews was autistic and had a specialty in the IT department. He was married to Emma, and they’d met in Beanies, the coffee shop he used to go to when he was in high school with George. He learned that Paul was a cat person, and that he was a Pisces. Overall, Paul was slowly becoming one of his friends. On top of that, Benny found himself admiring the man. He could definitely see himself slipping up and calling him dad in the future. Definitely.

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. He thought it was Schaffer, but when he spun around, he saw his older brother, who was also holding his daughter on his hip. “Oh my god- hi baby!” Benny immediately took to crouching on the floor as George placed Poppy down. At the sight of her father, Poppy outstretched her hands and waddled towards him. Benny lifted her up against his chest in a hug and looked to George. “But-“

“I got a call, Bene.” He smiled wide as he crossed his arms against his chest, watching as his little brother interacted with his niece. “I got a job here as an ambulance driver. So, I now take calls from both PEIP and St Damien’s when I’m on call. My boss approved it.”

Benny smiled wide as he looked back down to Poppy, who was busy trying to grab his beret off his head. He laughed and took it off, placing it on his daughter’s head instead. “There you go. Just like dad.”

“Dada,” she protested and pushed the hat further back on her head so she could see him. She grinned and let herself be carried by Benny as he stood up.

“Uh, George this is Corporal Paul Matthews. He’s chief of The Black and White. He’s been helpin’ me set up the office. Uh, his wife’s also Corporal Matthews, she works at Beanies half time, but she’s the chief scientist while Xander’s in a coma.”

“Oh _shit,_ Xander’s in a coma?!” George asked, his eyes widening slightly, and Paul nodded.

“It would appear that Xander is, in fact, in a coma.” He looked at George and Benny as another face appeared at the door. He smiled softly. “I’ll give you guys some time alone.”

“Thank you, Paul.” Benny said as he looked up to the door. He placed Poppy against his chest and motioned the other soldier in. “And uh, George? This is Kian. Kian from high school, was friends with me and Elliot, Kian.”

George spun around and looked at Kian, who was holding a file in his hand. Kian nodded to George and placed the file on Benny’s desk before slowly backing out. He turned back to his brother when the door closed as Benny opened the file. “He hasn’t changed.”

Benny chuckled as he looked at what was inside the folder. Kian’s phone number. “He sure hasn’t…”

* * *

On the other side of the precinct, however, sat a girl beside her adopted father. She wiped her eyes as she took his hand. To see him hooked up to so many different machines, a life support machine included in that, with an oxygen mask on his face…that scared her more than anything. Her father was supposed to be strong. He was Xander fucking Lee, a member of The Hatchetfield Six. He wasn’t supposed to succumb to a coma.

Her thumb brushed over Xander’s cracked knuckles. Seeing him so still, so peaceful…he wasn’t like that. At all. In the stories John would tell her about, he’d always say he’d be so active back in high school. He’d always have to be doing _something_ to keep himself occupied. He couldn’t ever just sit down. ‘ _He was a dancer at heart,’_ he’d tell her, his eyes sparkling as he spoke about his old friend. ‘ _He was self-taught. He was a natural. He was graceful. He’d get me to dance with him. Being in his arms was one of the times I felt the most at peace. It’d just be us- Louisiana I was **not** in love with him!” _But she saw how he looked at Xander when he was alive. She saw how much he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. She could see.

Around her, Kirk and Micah were cleaning up from the killing that’d occurred. Micah was placed on dead body duty while Kirk tended to any others injured. They left her to her own thoughts. She could only watch as her father’s chest rose and fell in a serene environment. It was quiet, peaceful. Like all hospitals should be. She hadn’t a clue what St Damien’s was like. She hadn’t ever been there. She had a feeling that it was the same as the medical bay in HQ, though. It had to be.

She shut her eyes, pressing Xander’s hand to her forehead. She forced back tears. She wanted to know more about her other adopted father. She wanted a family. Her mom had died at a young age, and her dad hadn’t been present for her upbringing. If it hadn’t been for Benny….

She didn’t need Benny. Benny was pathetic compared to her. He didn’t graduate, he was hardly literate and yet…yet he’d always been there for her. He’d been there for her when she needed him the most, he’d been there to listen to her talking about her new crush. He’d been there to listen to her ridiculous pitches she used to come up with at 3 AM, and he would never laugh at her. It would always be with her. And through everything, through thick and thin, he was there for her. So why couldn’t she have just accepted that he had tried to save her dad instead of blowing it up in his face?

Why had she tried to make herself seem better than she was? Benny had to quit high school because his daughter had been born, and it wasn’t his fault he was illiterate. His parents had been absent his entire life. George had told her once that they’d died when Benny was a child. At the time, Benny hadn’t understood the concept of death so hadn’t understood what was going on. Either way, the trauma he obtained when he was a child was enough to fuck with his head, and he was the Benny Slate many knew and loved as of the present day.

She sighed deeply. She couldn’t go and apologise to him. That’d be ridiculous. She’d blown the matter up in his face. What was the point of her trying to get a redemption? She couldn’t use his naïve abilities to get her to be his friend again. She had Ruth now. She didn’t need him…but it didn’t mean that she didn’t want him back. She loved him. She loved him so fucking much, and she had to go and screw everything up. He was her best friend, and she ruined it.

As tears filled her eyes again, and she began to fall deep in thought, she felt Xander’s hand twitch in her own. She pulled away immediately and noticed how his breathing was quicker than before. He seemed like he was in pain. Her eyes shot up to the heart monitor, and the spikes were becoming quicker, more frequent. No. Her father couldn’t be dying. Not after John. “K-Kirk!” She called and looked behind her. “Nathan! Micah!”

The two men dropped what they were doing and rushed over to Xander. Kirk took one glance at the heart monitor and swallowed thickly. He recognised the beat that the heart monitor was forming. It was a beat he hadn’t heard in a long, long while. Not since…not since dimension 2, at least. Slowly, but surely, the lyrics formed back in his head.

_You thought that you could outsmart the very thing that runs through blood of your kind…_

Kirk took a sharp gasp in, and Micah looked at him. “Nathan?” He asked softly, and Kirk had to grip the cabinet to stop himself from passing out. A sharp pain split across his forehead. He winced, but kept his eyes on Xander, trying to regulate his own breathing. The beeping became too loud, the rhythm became too strong…but then he heard a voice.

He looked to Xander. He was still as he’d been before, but his lips were moving. The heart monitor stopped being so loud, and it became quiet. It regulated itself again, and Kirk paled at the voice that came out of the scientist’s mouth.

_“Private Louisiana Hartford, Sergeant Major Nathaniel Kirk, Doctor Michael Icacks…my name is General John McNamara, and I am **safe.** ”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god what the fuck what the fuck help why john there john what the fuck this book rated pg 18 now omg
> 
> anyways so i started planning book 5 today. uh, not to spoil it but you know how xander started out dead in this one? yeah well guess who starts out dead in the next one too-


	26. If I Don't Catch You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *someone* makes a certain discovery about themselves. micah purposefully annoys the fuck out of his brother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways i have watched rocky horror picture show 4 times today and i am oBS ES S E D

The thorn of life, he could feel, was snaking out of the bullet wound beside where his healed wound was. It dripped through his hoodie in long ribbons of silk, red, staining. Dare he speak the wise words of the soul that forms him, a mere rosebud waiting to blossom. Waiting until the roots grew so far down that it had no choice but to burst.

And so, it burst. It burst, and it blossomed, and now he had to pay the price. Scared. He was scared. He was scared because he was dying. Spots of black plagued his vision. Afraid to fall out of consciousness, to move on to the next stage of life, he remained awake. His breathing stayed shallow, the enriched earth filling his lungs, filing his throat as the thorn of life began to block his airways.

He didn’t know when he was picked up into Xander’s arms, but at some point, he had been. At the same time, Xander had spoken. His hearing, muffled, as the pricks of the thorns created an unsatisfactory static in his ears. At least he had a chance to say goodbye.

“Hey.” John repeated the word unknowingly. It was hard to piece apart what had been said, and what his mind was telling him. His voice was at the quietest it had ever been. In that moment, he wasn’t the leader of a branch of the military. He was a man, just like every other in Hatchetfield. He served no importance to the world. Nobody did. Every human claimed to have a purpose, but what was his? Live, almost get murdered, and _then_ die? Did he even get a chance to discover love? That made no sense. “I’m sorry.”

If he knew no better, Xander could have been forcing back a laugh. It was unfortunate, when he looked up into his husband’s eyes and saw the essence of a river beginning to form, turning his irises to mud. “You can’t be serious.”

“Pokotho stole my gun…Benny tried. He tried to disarm him, and he shot me anyway…” A harsh breeze filled his body and he shivered, moving closer to Xander’s body for warmth. “I didn’t think I was going out this young but…but PEIP’s got you now. Lou’s got you now. America’s in good hands.” He felt Xander’s hand slide under his leg, pulling him closer to his chest. He was seated in Xander’s lap before he could register it.

“I’d say you shouldn’t speak like that but…you’re too far gone. You’re too far gone, aren’t you?”

All John could offer was a subtle nod. The thorns were beginning to form wider, their tips sharper than a knife’s edge. “I lived long enough to meet my soulmate, to meet my kid, to get married…to save the world.” He found his voice slowly fading to a whisper. If he had the strength, he’d panic. He wasn’t going to fight what consumed him. Everyone had an end, and this was his. “I don’t care if I’m honoured or not. I fought for equality, not for honour.” His right hand placed itself gently on Xander’s chest, and he found it in himself to worry. “Aren’t you hurting?” His eyes lingered on the space where his hand was placed before he looked up into his eyes.

“Big time,” came Xander’s reply as he placed a kiss on John’s forehead. “I’ll win the fight for you, John. I’ll come and get you; I promise.”

John couldn’t help but reach up and wipe the tear that fell from Xander’s eyes away with his thumb, a smile forming on his face. “I’ve done my part. You made my life worth living.” He forced a laugh. “Back in high school? During those exams where you’d use morse code to _not_ give me the answers, but to tell me erotic things because my surname begins with M and yours is L, and we were sat right next to each other. And you were the reason I signed up for The Hatchetfield Si case and I’m forever thankful. You changed my life. _Even_ the little time we had together after you came back-“ His sentence was cut short as his breath hitched, his shoulders no longer supporting his head. It lolled to the side against Xander. He was struggling to hold on. “I’m grateful. For you. For everything.”

John watched as Xander shook his head, tears helping to grow the rose that blossomed against the bullet wound. He felt Xander’s hand run through his hair, but when he pulled it away, he noticed the unmistakeable red tint that had dyed his fingertips. “John, if you need to let go, stop fighting. You’re safe.”

“But _you_ aren’t.”

“It doesn’t matter about me.” John watched as Xander’s gaze moved from his hand back to him. John was determined to keep his eyes fixed on Xander. He didn’t want to die looking at anyone else. “Jonathan Myles McNamara-Lee, I love you more than anybody. And I’m so glad I could call you my husband. I _won’t_ let your memory die.”

“I love you too.” What he was beginning to feel was becoming hazier and hazier. He had no idea how pale he was, how dead he truly looked. As he took his remaining breaths, he could feel Xander planting soft kisses against his forehead. His last words were the same phrase he’d said moments before repeated, _“I love you too._ ” And then that was it.

The sensation of falling while not was a very bizarre note for him to end on. He could feel himself spiralling, detaching from the real world. It felt as if tiny grappling hooks had successfully grasped on to his skin, and with every minor tug on the fragile string, the entirety of John’s body became weighed down.

Around him, as he fell, were tiny whisps of blue. They snagged on to him, untying, unbuttoning clothing. He was spinning around, the black that held him captive fading to a grey. He held his hand out in front of him, watching as what was originally a grey sleeve turned to white, the cuffs buttoning themselves. He looked down, watching as the outfit he’d originally been in morphed. It became slimmer. He felt a collar weave around his neck, made out of silk. He watched a form and flick at him like a snake’s tongue before it settled over the collar. He felt his hair blow in the wind, strands pick up in a _half up/half down_ style contemplated by a black blow that kept it together.

When he landed on the floor, he braced himself to see black. Just blackness, as he’d heard it been described to him many a time. Instead, what he saw when he opened his eyes, was a bright white. The water was pristine and clean, a soft turquoise. He could see himself easily in it. His eyes widened at the sight of himself, though, and he realised that he was dressed in a white suit. He ran a hand over his face, and then two fingers pressed against his neck. Nothing. He had to be dead…so where was he?

“Oh fuck…” He clasped his hands to his face, his eyes widening significantly, and he felt himself go weak. “Oh _fuck!”_ As his breathing quickened his pace, he became unaware of the figure that had appeared behind him. A tall woman like creature with two visible arms, covered in silver silk. Her body was covered in a white off-the-shoulder ballgown. Her amber eyes glistened, blinking pair by pair. She wore a deep purple lipstick, and her long white hair reached just above her waist. Her fringe was trimmed neatly, and the small fangs that poked out of her mouth rested easily.

“Jonathan McNamara?”

John stood up and expected to fall into the water before realising it had surrounded him. He reached for his gun, but his hand fell straight to his chest. He began to panic, but he had to remember his training even in such an extreme circumstance. “Who are you?!”

“John McNamara, my name is Webby, and I’m going to help you through this.” She offered a hand out to him, and watched as he retracted it, holding them both close to his chest. “Don’t worry. I mean no harm.”

“How can I know that?” He bit back, and she chuckled.

“Because…” She slid the sleeve down her right shoulder to reveal a birthmark, or so it seemed. It was of a bluebell, and around the bluebell, and around the bluebell was a small, black and white, bee. On one of the stripes, there were the initials _J.M.M_ on it, and in one of the blank spaces read _X.J.L._ John had always thought that was a tattoo, but he’d had since they were in high school. “I created Xander. So…I _kinda_ know my shit.” She smiled and slipped the sleeve back up into place. “John McNamara, welcome to the White.”

“The…The _Black_ and White?” He asked and she shook her head.

“Not quite. Let’s take a walk.”

Hesitantly, John stood up and nodded as they walked together. “Uh…why am I in a suit?”

“Be thankful it’s modern.” She said and raised an eyebrow towards him. “Allow me to explain.” She began to guide him through The White, her ballgown brushing over the top of the water, his shoes clicking gently as he walked. “At the start of the universe, I was created. I was born from a burst of light. I was placed in this realm, and for endless miles the walls were white, and the water was clean. Throughout the period I have existed, however, five more bursts of light occurred. Originally, I thought the children were to be the same as me – watchers, observers.”

“But they’re The Lords In Black?”

Webby nodded slowly. “They wanted revenge; they wanted their own space. As their anger became more prominent, and they began to want blood, an area turned darker. With each victim killed, their blood combined with the viewing pool of The White. Their rage became physical, and the walls were plagued with a virus and it spread, and it spread. The five of them, they migrated to the dark. I was able to border off my sector of The Black and White and keep it pristine, like how it was originally supposed to be…but that doesn’t go for all of it.”

“So, the entire realm used to look like this?”

“Correct. And it wasn’t a rip in time or the fabric of space. When my brothers became angrier and angrier, _they_ formed the rip. That led to PEIP detecting it, and they plastered the portal on to The Black, but they missed The White.”

“I…I had no idea…” John looked down to the floor and swallowed, but Webby shook her head once more.

“Nobody did. How were you expected to fix your mistakes when all you could do was go off of what you knew…?” She opened up a door and led him inside, sitting him on a white leather chair. “Now I have you, I can offer you the advice you need to defeat The Black.” She took her seat as well, and she shrunk. She was still taller than him, but not to an unbearable amount anymore.

“What…do you mean?”

“For every God, there are three parts. The Scarred, The Host, The Victims and The Tamed. Every single one of us has at least two. The Tamed, may I add, _are_ The Hatchetfield Six from _your_ dimension. The tamed are the people who fall victim because of us. Wiggly has Ethan, Linda and Wilbur. Tinky has Ted, Nibblenephim had Jane, and I had Xander.”

“Right…” He nodded. “And Xander ended up being yours because of-“

“Of what happened at the end of Dimension Three? You are correct.” She nodded once more, her eyes blinking in the rows of three again. “The Hosts are the people who serve as a vector for the God itself. Wiggly has Linda Monroe, Blinky has Alice and Bill Woodward, Tinky had Theodore Spankoffski, Pokey had Sam Lowery, Zoey Martins and Ken Davidson whereas Nibblenephim’s still remains unknown. Mine? Mine is a young girl who goes by the name of Hannah Foster.”

“Hannah, I’m familiar…” he said and nodded. “But what about The Scarred?”

“The Scarred are people who serve as revengeful in a different dimension to ours, but their spirit was carried over into this dimension when their original dimension was destroyed. Got it?”

“Got it.”

“It’s the human form takes shape as Wilbur Cross, Blinky’s is your husband, Xander Lee. Tinky’s is Andrew Kilgore, Pokey’s is Paul Matthews and Nibblenephim’s is Nick Johnson.”

“So who’s yours?” He asked innocently, and she chuckled.

“I’ll be getting there in a second, but you’re smart. I’m sure you can figure it out.” She kicked her skirt out of the way and it shrunk down slightly to a knee-high skirt, and her dress detached to be a crop top. She looked a lot more modern. “In other words, it’s their human forms. The eccentric thing about those Scarred that I’ve seen, they wear a suit of some sort. Wiggly has the denim jacket, denim suit combination, Tinky and Pokey are both in a Victorian style, Blinky wears his mascot suit anyway, Nibbly holds the leather suit and you, John…”

John looked down at himself and noticed he was in a _very_ modern suit, with a bright bluebell in his pocket. He gasped softly and looked back to her. “I’m y-“

“You’re my Scarred. Not because you wanted revenge, but because you wanted to resolve revenge, which is what I aim for.”

“Oh my god…” he swallowed thickly and looked back up to the spider-like creature. “So…what now?”

“We get in contact with the real world. You have one shot at this, John. _One shot._ ” Before he could process what was going on, Webby had slid her sleeve down her shoulder again, and John’s hand was on the mark. He gasped out as he felt himself being sucked into another person’s body. He could hear bleeping around him, and the worried voice of his daughter- _Lou?!_ Then he heard Kirk, and he knew he wasn’t in his own body. He couldn’t be. Getting his only chance, he had to tell them as much information as he could. “Private Louisiana Hartford, Sergeant Major Nathaniel Kirk, Doctor Michael Icacks…my name is General John McNamara, and I am _safe.”_ Immediately, from what he could hear, there was a gasp. He couldn’t open his eyes, but he knew he was there with other people.

_“D-Dad?”_

That was Lou’s voice. He was there with her. He could tell her everything. “Sweetheart, I don’t have much time, but I’m safe. I’m not in The Black. The Black holds the entity of all evil. I’m in The White with Webby and I promise you, I’m okay. I’m uninjured. Uh…who’s body am I in?”

_“Xander’s body, sir. He um- it was safer to place him in a coma, I’m afraid.”_

That was Kirk. He sighed but nodded, though they couldn’t see. “So where’s my husband?”

_“He’s in The Black, sir.”_

Kirk’s voice again. Once more, they were separated. John had to shut his eyes. He couldn’t have _fucking anything._

_“Sir, how do we get you out?”_

Micah. Micah Icacks was there as well. Of course he would be. “You need to destroy The Bastard’s Box.”

_“The what?! The Bastard’s Box?!”_

“Yes!” John tried, but when he opened his eyes again, he was back with Webby in The White. He sobbed. It’d be easier if Xander was there with him, yet Xander was in The Black with the evil. He should be in The White. He deserved it more than he did. “I want him home…”

“We’ll get him home. I know a way.”

* * *

“Dammit!” Emma shouted and hit her fist on the desk. She grabbed her crutches and limped into the medbay, breathing heavily once she was there. “I had a trace of John on the files. I know his _exact_ coordinates.” When she looked around, she just caught a glimpse of Lou running out the room. “What’s with her?”

“She’s upset and gone to cry to her girlfriend. I mean, I’d do the same so I’m not offending her. With Gary, I mean. I’m gay.” Micah confirmed, and Emma took a moment to blink.

“Okay, so John-“

“He’s in The White.” Kirk told her, shuddering slightly in his lab coat as he rummaged around for his medication. “Ugh…”

“Kirk, sit down.” Micah told him, grabbing one of the spare beds and bringing it over to him.

He, thankfully, sat down beside Xander’s unconscious body. He placed his head in his hands and sighed. “But we can’t do anything from outside. The portal leads to what we’ve known to be The Black _And_ White, not just The Black.”

“Doctor Kirk, sir, Xander’s in The Black, John is in The White. Xander is approximately 200000 metres _from_ the eldritch gods that brought him there in the first place.”

“How far away is he from The White?”

“About 1000.”

“Right, so if we manage to send a message to him, and he turns around, we can get John and Xander back together.”

“Correct…but how are we gonna do that?” Emma asked, and Kirk shrugged.

“Sorry, I can’t think straight…”

“When have you ever been able to?”

Kirk’s eyes shot up to the door, where he saw the tall, usually professional figure of his boyfriend, Secretary Of Defence, Eric Moore, slouched against the frame. The man got pushed into the room, and a second man in a waistcoat, a scarf and glasses entered the door. “Dick,” Kirk muttered, but he now had a small smile on his face.

Micah looked up at the door and his eyes lit up again. “The _fuck_ are you doing here?”

“Can’t I come and surprise my boyfriend while he’s at work?!” Gary asked as he walked inside and straight to Micah’s side, leaning down to kiss him.

“You _can,_ I just wasn’t expecting you, is all.”

“What have you been up to today anyway babe?” He asked as Micah stood up, taking his seat.

“Well, we had a massacre this morning, so I’ve been cleaning up dead bodies.” He gestured to the specks of blood on his lab coat, and Gary furrowed his eyebrows. “I’ll explain it to you tonight. But _why_ did you just shove Eric Moore, Secretary of Defence, into the room? I’m fairly sure he can murder you for that.”

“We are cousins.” Eric sat beside Nathaniel on the bed, wrapping an arm around his boyfriend’s side. “Are you alright, Nat?”

“I feel really quite sick…” Nathan sighed and buried into Eric’s side, accepting the attention. “Eric, meet Xander Lee. He’s our Lieutenant and he’s in a coma. His husband died today. He had a connection to The Black and White and I now have a headache because of him…”

“And you’ve had medication?”

“I just took some…” he huffed again, only to smile when he felt a kiss on his forehead. “What are you doing here? I thought you were heading back to Washington?”

“I officiated General Schaffer under Howie’s request. He said, ‘save me a job, _Ez, and do my job for me.’_ So General Schaffer is now officially running the precinct.”

“I’m glad to hear that. She deserves it.” He reached up and kissed Eric softly, only for Micah to speak up again.

“Okay so…how _are_ we gonna get John back to Xander? Or Xander back to John?” Micah asked as he pulled a sheet over another victim in the other room.

Emma thought about it for a moment before spinning around to look at him. “Micah, come here a sec, I got something to ask you!”

Micah sighed but walked back in the room, folding his arms. “Yeah?”

“Your brother…he’s still alive, right?”

Micah rolled his eyes so hard that the irises rolled straight behind his eyes. “For fucks sake- _yes_ my brother is still alive. Why?” He raised an eyebrow and looked at her. She smiled innocently, and his eyes furrowed, confused. He turned back to Kirk and shrugged. “What the fuck does she mean?”

“I _think_ what she means is she believes bringing Gareth in is gonna be our best shot-“

“Here we go,” Gary sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, leaning back in his chair.

“Oh god fucking _dammit,_ Kirk! You know what? I’m actually gonna go fuck your boyfriend.”

“Micah, don’t you dare!”

“Why? He’s hot enough!”

“He’s my cousin!” Gary protested, and Micah nodded.

“Yes, babe, I’m aware! I’m just joking anyway, Gary, you’re the sexiest member of your family. I love you.”

“I love you too?” He asked confused, and Micah rolled his eyes again.

“Do you think you can ring him, Micah?” Emma asked, and Micah sighed so hard he practically shrunk a couple of inches.

“Give me a minute.” He stormed off to the other room where he grabbed his phone from his bag. He leaned against the wall, calling his brother, waiting.

* * *

In a part of Hatchetfield, not too far from PEIP, was a man with long golden-brown hair and bright, blue eyes. Littered in scars from his military days and a brain full of knowledge he probably shouldn’t know, was a fifty-year-old man. He was working on absent files alongside his wife, who sat at the desk in front of him. In the other room were their three children, Blake, Olivia and Sydney who were all getting excited over some TV Show. Either way, it was their version of peaceful.

Unexpectedly, the phone rang. Gareth looked up from where he was sitting to the ringing device, and his wife, Jennifer, raised an eyebrow. Gareth shook his head, picking up the phone, resting it on his shoulder while he continued to work. “You’ve reached the Icacks household, how may I-“

_“Yeah, shut the fuck up babe.”_

“Who is it?” Jennifer asked, and Gareth tipped his head back so far, he almost fell off the chair.

“Take a guess.” He forced a smile on his face, even though it was thin lipped. “What have I told you about ringing me?”

_“John McNamara’s dead.”_

“Could you _not_ have started with that?!” His eyes shot open widely, and he heard his younger brother’s laugh on the other side. “Jesus Christ, Michael! What do you mean he’s _dead?!”_

_“Well, Gareth, there was a massacre that resulted in the fact Wiggog Y’Wrath, Bliklotep, T’Noy Karaxis, Pokotho and Nibblenephim broke free. They sought for revenge and subsequently ended up killing John, who is now trapped in The White, and Lieutenant Xander Lee, John’s husband, is in a coma.”_

“John wasn’t married?”

_“Yeah. Until Xander came back and all the memories flooded back and shit. So, boo to you. Anyways, the team requires your assistance. I’m outnumbered two to one via ratio.”_

Gareth pinched the bridge of his nose, digging his fingernails into his skin. He slapped his knee and stood up. “Let me make a few phone calls. The earliest I can be there is _tomorrow._ You understand, Micah? _Tomorrow.”_

_“I know what tomorrow is, dumbass. I’ll inform you soon. Say hi to the kids for me.”_

With that, Micah hung up, and Gareth growled slightly. Jennifer looked up from the computer and smiled. “Your brother?”

“Once again, PEIP needs me.” He sighed. “So, I gotta get the team back together, aside from, ya know, Wilbur.”

Jennifer smiled and stood up, pushing his hair behind his shoulders, brushing him off. “You’re back at work tomorrow, General?”

“I’m afraid.” He sighed again but looked down to her. “I swear this doesn’t happen intentionally.”

“I know, darling.” She leaned up and kissed him softly, pulling away. “I’ll tell the kids. You focus on getting everything ready for tomorrow. I’ll be in the other room, so you get a little bit of peace.”

Icacks nodded gratefully when his wife left the room. He dialled a number and sat back down on the seat, kicking his feet up. When the other line answered, he lit a cigarette. “Holloway, dear, are you free tomorrow?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a a a a a a a a a a a a a aaa a a a a agareth icacks gareth icacks gareth icacks 
> 
> anyways john posessing xander that's a little bit homosexual wtf calm down boys there are children around


	27. The Danger That You Are In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> miss holloway. and also micah and gareth stare at each other sometimes idk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bonk i hate this chapter

After everything that had occurred with The Black and White, both Duke and Holloway had made the decision not to send Hannah back to school and to keep Lex away from the precinct for a while. Specifically, on Holloway’s behalf, she didn’t want her daughters in harm’s way again. She couldn’t allow herself to be the reason her daughters ended up critically injured or dead. She made that mistake with Wilbur.

As much as she’d been intrigued, all those years ago, with the man with the slicked back red hair similar to her own and the bright blue eyes that sparkled whenever he went, she knew that man was gone. But, she seemed to enjoy reminiscing back on the fact lately of how he used to be. After everything when she had to delve back into her own Nightmare Time where she came face to face with him once more, she didn’t recognise the man she’d had rivalry with so long ago. Not the black hair, not the green eyes, but she certainly recognised the smile. It had always been sinister in a way, but that sinister had been a smirk once. Now it was pure evil.

Maybe that was why she felt so attracted to Duke when they were first encountered. Dark brown hair combed neatly backwards with the soft green eyes and the black denim jacket he wore wherever he went…he was a charmer from the beginning. He appreciated who she was from the moment they started working together. Unlike Wilbur, he didn’t feel the necessity to question everything she had to offer.

It didn’t mean she didn’t miss the Wilbur she once knew. From rivalry, to friends, to ending up asleep against his chest on exhausting missions, she’d always been a version of him that she’d been able to figure out. But when she saw him in The Black and White, she knew he was gone. It led to the girls being stuck inside a lot, but they had a backyard they could roam around in if they pleased, but for a nine, nearly ten, year old girl and Lex, who was 18, she understood it couldn’t fulfil their needs.

She knew how badly the two of them wanted to go and see Ethan. Ethan Green, who’d been through so much in terms of how old he was and how much he had left to see. Black curled hair and soft green eyes, just like Duke. They had a wide personality and an even wider smile fitted with a heart that had enough generosity for everyone on Earth. He was both Hannah and Lex’s rock, and to keep them from him for so long.

Another joint decision between her and Duke led to them pulling up at Tony Green’s body shop in Holloway’s bright Pontiac Firebird. Hannah was bouncing excitedly in her seat and Lex was trying to keep her still. Duke chuckled softly at the two of them, turning around to look at them. “Lex, she’s stimming. Let her do her thing.” He smiled again and looked back at the front out the windshield just as they pulled up at the body shop. Standing at the bench were the Green family, Tony and Ethan in old overalls, Tony with his arm around Ethan’s shoulders. Duke swung his arm around Holloway’s chair and looked back at Hannah and Lex. “Alright, girls, off ya go.”

Hannah squeaked happily and was the first out of the car, immediately bolting over to Ethan, wrapping her arms around his waist. That must have disturbed him slightly for he turned around and gasped.

“Banana!” He grinned wide, lifting Hannah up into a hug. “Look at you! You’ve gotten so big!” He hugged Hannah again as she giggled, placing a kiss on her forehead.

“Missed you, Ethan!” She squealed, and Ethan squeezed Hannah gently.

“I missed you too!” He kissed Hannah’s hair the second time before looking at Lex, who’d just gotten out of the car. His eyes widened slightly as he looked at his girlfriend, his heart speeding up as it usually did when he saw her. They were so in love with her, he could hardly hide it. He carefully set Hannah on the floor, not taking his eyes off of Lex. He watched as the grin formed on Lex’s face, and he watched as she started running towards him. He held his arms out to her, and all of a sudden, she was against his chest. He lifted her up, like he’d done with Hannah moments before, and smiled. “I don’t think I was expectin’ ya today, babe.”

She wrapped her legs around his waist and cupped his face, grinning. “Surprise!” She laughed softly as Ethan looked at her.

“What- I thought you were on home detention or some shit?! Did Holly let ya out?!”

“She let us come see you. I got a set of overnight clothes for us in my bag. You don’t mind, do ya Tony?”

“Absolutely not!” Tony spun around, placing a spanner in his pocket, smiling at Hannah and Lex. “You three go inside while I get back to work.” He walked back over to Ethan and ruffled his hair, heading back under the car to fix it.

Ethan grinned and kissed Lex gently, Lex kissing him back, before pulling away. He held her up with one arm, using the other to take Hannah’s hand, taking them both inside.

Holloway watched from her car, sighing softly. “I hope they’ll be alright.”

“You know the will with Tony.” Duke placed a hand on her arm, smiling gently.

“I sure hope so…” she took a breath. She was about to start driving again when Duke’s phone started ringing. She kicked the car into gear as Duke answered the phone.

“Uh, no this ain’t Holloway, sir. This is Douglas Keane from Social Services, sir. But, she’s with me? Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker.”

Holloway furrowed her eyebrows confused until she heard an all-too familiar voice on the other side of the line.

_“Holloway, dear, is that you?”_

“Yes, sir. It’s me.” She gripped the steering wheel slightly tighter, gritting her teeth. “I thought we were told never to speak again.”

_“We were. But this is urgent. Are you free tomorrow?”_

“It depends on the matter.”

_“I got a phone call from my brother not too long ago. General John McNamara passed away this morning and Lieutenant Xander Lee has been placed in a coma for reasons I’m unsure of. However, I have been informed that John McNamara remains in the white. Xander, however, is in The Black. Now-“_

“Let me guess. You know of my expertise, so you wish for me to come back to PEIP and resolve the mess that they got themselves into?”

_“Alex Hill should be there as well.”_

Holloway unclenched her jaw at once and she smiled. Hill had been one of the only colleagues she’d managed to enjoy working with. Her face lightened up. “Then I’ll be there at nine.” She hung up the phone and Duke looked at her.

“You sure about going back?”

“Of course I’m not, but what else am I expected to do? The world’s relying on us, especially considering now that the two most important people on earth are missing.” She sighed softly and started the car up again.

“You could have said no, ya know?” Duke looked at her and she shrugged.

“I know. But I’ll _never_ say no to a challenge.”

* * *

By next morning, she felt herself to be entirely prepared for the situation about to go down. She was dressed in her usual attire of a denim jacket and 80s themed clothing, she walked in behind a tan trenchcoat wearing man. Beside her was a small woman with a mullet wearing a pencil skirt and a green. Together, herself, Icacks and Colonel Alex Hill walked inside and to the medical bay to where they’d been directed. There, they sat around a table in the office between the medical rooms. There, sat on the other end of the table, were agents Holloway didn’t recognise. The one in the centre cleared his throat and smirked, clasping his hands together, letting his hair loose. The man beside him, someone out of uniform with glasses and brunette hair, covered a laugh with a pathetic cough.

“Gareth.” The man started, and Holloway looked to her general.

“Michael.” He smiled sarcastically before swatting a hand to him. “Get on with it. I don’t have all day.”

“Anyways, hi, I’m going to ignore my brother. I’m the better Icacks brother, I’m Doctor Micah Icacks and I work here alongside Nathaniel Kirk who’s currently with his boyfriend. To my left is _my_ wonderful boyfriend, Gary Goldstein Attorney at Law. Beside him is my mentee, Sloane Torres. She’ll be taking notes. On the other side of me is Gary’s cousin, Corporal Paul Matthews, recently promoted and in charge of The Black and White, and to Paul’s right is his wife, Corporal _Emma_ Matthews, who is our chief scientist while Xander remains comatose. Paul?” He looked at Paul who nodded and spun a laptop around with a document loaded.

“Yesterday, as I’m aware you’ve been informed, General John McNamara and Lieutenant Xander Lee were both involved in a mass killing involving the Gods from The Black and White. Later on in the day, we discovered a blue dot in PEIP’s perimeter to The Black and White, and seconds after, there was a red dot along the border.” He zoomed in on the screenshot to show the two dots. “These screenshots were taken from our cameras and the footage recorded. With further analysis, we have discovered that these dots are the souls of people. The blue dot, as expected from the team due to the colour of his powers is the Lieutenant, who is currently in what is known as ‘The Black,’ and the red dot, who hasn’t appeared since yesterday, belongs to General John McNamara-“

“So we can reopen the portal, go in and get him, can’t we?” Gareth interrupted, and Paul shook his head.

“John is in a realm inaccessible to PEIP, just outside of the border in an area listed as ‘The White.’ From some recent information given to us from Micah, Kirk and John’s mentee, Louisiana, it has been revealed that he is there with a spider-like entity named Webby. He claims he is safe. Whether we can believe him or not is unclear as of now.”

Gareth took time to process this new information before shutting his eyes and sighing. “God _fucking_ dammit. I can’t leave _any_ of my mentees alone without them turning evil or dying?”

“Probably because you were a shitty general.” Micah added, and from the end of the table, Sloane let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. “We have Schaffer running the precinct now. She’s _hella_ good at the job.”

“Schaffer? As in…Helen Schaffer?” The person with the clipboard sat to the left of Gareth piped up, running a hand through their newly cut mullet.

“That’d be correct.” The door closed as Paul moved his chair along the table, allowing the newly found General to walk in and take her place beside Micah. “General Icacks, Colonel Holloway…Alex.”

“Schaf.” Alex said in return and smiled wide.

“So to continue on from what Matthews has been saying, we’re at a little bit of a dead end. We have no idea what to do.”

“But I do.” Holloway looked to the others and clasped her hands on the table. “Between the white and the black is a wall. The brothers, The Lords In Black, are in The Black, and The Lady In White belongs to her sector in The White. The White was originally the entire realm, and soon, five others spawned into reality. Webby, the spider that you speak of, cautioned off a segment of the realm to keep its pristineness. John is stuck in The White and Xander is stuck in The Black.” She took a breath. “I know how to get them back together, but it’s risky. Do you want to-?”

“We’ll take any chance we get.” Schaffer told her, and she nodded, continuing.

“You need to wear a suit. The Black and White despises those without a suit. I can guarantee Xander and John are wearing suits as we speak. The human forms of the Gods wear suits in different variants. It’s deliberate. You don’t need anything fancy. Just a suit, but preferably not a good one that you own. Suits, they represent class, and The Black and White won’t differentiate you from the fact you aren’t a God. That is all I can say for now. I would preferably like to be there for the results. I need to guide someone along.”

Paul drummed his fingers on his knee, listening to what Holloway had to say. “And I take that we enter The Black and White through the portal?”

“Exactly, Paul.” She nodded firmly. “You just need any suit, and you’ll be fine.” She shook her head. “I wish I could be the one to enter my Nightmare Time again, but the last time I did, I almost lost not only my daughter, but John. John’s dead. I can’t risk _anything._ ”

“So we need a volunteer…” Schaffer looked to the group, Holloway confirming her thoughts with a nod.

“We can eliminate Torres, Icacks and Kirk immediately for they’re in the med department. Emma has a broken leg, and it wouldn’t be wise to send her into an unforgiving realm. My mentee will _not_ be stepping foot in that portal, the poor kid’s been through enough. Neither will his brother, Private White and Private Bates. Private McNamara just lost her father, and neither of the Yates twins will be entering the realm either. Alex, you used to work in IT, Icacks, you’re about ten feet from death anyway, so Paul,” she swung her head around and looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Will you do it?”

Paul looked to Emma unsure for advice. She took his hand and squeezed it, nodding, giving him permission. He turned back to his General and nodded himself. “I’ll do it.”

“So where do we go from here?” Schaffer asked, turning straight back to Holloway, and she smiled.

“What’s the point in waiting? We may as well get prepared.” She stood up, about to leave the room, when Paul raised his hand.

“Uh, ma’am, Holloway uh- _why_ should I trust you with my life?”

Holloway chuckled lightly and smiled. “I’m a creation from The White. I know the way around The Black and White better than Hatchetfield. Now, Paul, we’ve gotta go.” With a swift flick of her hair, she headed to where she needed to be, a silent prayer forming on her tongue that this mission would go as successfully as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lOL YOINK IT'S A PAULKINS CHAPTER NEXT-


	28. Gotta Take It Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mr matthews has a panic attack, and then saves the world

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> anyways,,, it's the ending chapter lads laddettes and ladders. uh,,, well,,, it's slightly rushed but oh well
> 
> if you're curious, paul's segment *is* a rewrite of a rewrite of chapter 1 of something you pine for which can be read on quotev under the same handle. enjoy reading

Schaffer dismissed the meeting only a few minutes ago. Schaffer dismissed the meeting a few moments ago, and now he was in the suiting room, Emma sat on the chair beside him, fussing over his appearance for him. He couldn’t question what had led him to that moment, for he knew the answer already. Being a young man, around the age of 30, approaching _‘The Old Starlight Theatre’_ in downtown Hatchetfield, being the young man around the age of 30 on the morning of the catastrophic event that would become ‘ _The Black Friday from Hell.’_ He knew that was what had led him up to this very moment, but he’d be lying if it said he didn’t scare him.

If he hadn’t tipped Emma those $5, if he hadn’t have almost died, then he and Emma wouldn’t be married. If he hadn’t acted as a willing sacrifice for her, then he and Emma wouldn’t be sat there in that room. If he’d woken up on time and driven himself to PEIP yesterday, he may not even be alive. Little things could create an entire subdimension, not entirely a new one, but more or less different in its own way. He didn’t like thinking about the butterfly effect. He didn’t like thinking about the endless possibilities that could have happened to him, that could have happened to _Emma._ He wished, that in one reality, the had a normal life. A normal life where he stayed at CCRP Tech and Emma got to grow her pot farm, he took the risk of moving out of Hatchetfield with her and their twenty cats and new-born baby…maybe that was the something he pined for so badly.

He felt his hand slip into Emma’s, a gentle squeeze breaking him out of his thoughts. He looked up, his eyes travelling slowly from his shoes to her eyes, her soft brown eyes that he’d found comfort in before. Her other hand let go of the handle of her crutches, moving to cup his cheek, but they clattered to the floor and Paul flinched. All at once, his chest became tight with his eyes focusing directly in front of him. He feels the hand on his cheek move away yet he could hardly register it. He didn’t know why he signed up for it. If he stepped in that portal, he could die. He’d never see Emma again and that thought scared him more than anything.

He put his elbows on his knees, hunching over so his face was in his hands and once in the safe position he’d placed himself in, he sobbed. He heard the wheels of a chair move closer to him, and he felt a pair of arms wrap tightly around his shoulders. He knew it was Emma for it had to be. She was the only other person in the room and thank goodness she was.

After whatever had happened in the other dimensions that only PEIP were aware about, he’d gained the title of ‘ _The Universe’s Favourite Guy’_ with Emma being his female counterpart in the matter. With that title, apparently, came the responsibility of being someone out of the ordinary, someone so spectacular that no matter what was thrown at him, he’d be able to overcome it.

Well, for someone neurotypical like Emma, that may be the case, but for him, someone with diagnosed autism, he couldn’t cope a lot of the time. He was Paul Matthews. He liked black coffee, and movies but _not_ musicals. He didn’t understand why he got hated for liking musicals so much. The constantly changing colours and the random songs that came in the middle of songs not only didn’t make sense, but overwhelmed him easily. He liked watching movies. Movies, where the plots made sense, in active franchises. The majority of the time, Emma would come home from work and he’d have a Marvel movie on.

When they’d first started dating, he’d masked everything. He convinced himself he didn’t act ‘normal’ then he wouldn’t be wanted, and Emma wouldn’t want to be his girlfriend. The first time he’d had a meltdown was over something minor, but to him it was major. It was an abrupt change in his routine. His day had been going shitty, and it was the final thing to tip him over the edge. He thought she’d leave, like everyone else in his life had, but she’d been patient with him, grounding him the best that he could, and he thanked her repeatedly. Months later, they were married, and he, for the first time ever, felt blessed.

Being in Emma’s arms was his comfort place. She had a way of being so gentle with him despite her fiery personality that he found it hard to believe that truly, she was his. The thoughts usually occurred to him during his meltdowns, or his sensory overloads. Unfortunately, this was one of those specific times. “Em, I don’t wanna go in. I’m so fucking stupid!”

“You aren’t stupid.” Her hand found its way through Paul’s hair.

“I could go in that portal and die.” His voice shook as he wiped his eyes. “And then who are you gonna have?”

“Hey, look at me.” She placed her hand on his shoulder, sitting him up. Waiting for his permission, she cupped his cheek again and looked into his eyes. “Talk to me. What do you know about The Black and White?”

“That there are many murderous entities inside and that the good area is inaccessible to PEIP so I’m going straight in the deep end-“

“Paul. Focus.” She squeezed his shoulder gently, and he exhaled, looking to his hands, that were clasped in his lap.

“That even though John’s dead, his soul is active in The Black and White, and he was able to communicate through Xander, though not dead, who’s soul is in The Black and White as well. Technology has advanced since Black Friday in that alternate dimension, and therefore, following Miss Holloway’s guide and lead, I should be safe.”

“And I am gonna be on comms waiting for you.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his forehead, wiping a tear away. “And, you’re in the suit you first met me in. You realise that?”

“Where did you get it from? It’s at home?”

“Well, it’s a replica, but the thought counts.” She chuckled to herself and looked into his eyes, brushing his hair back into its neat position. She then turned her head to face the portal frame that hissed and spat purple sparks on to the floor. “It’s going to be okay, and if it isn’t, I’ll jump in there and save you myself.” She pressed another kiss to Paul’s forehead as the door opened and Miss Holloway walked inside. She could see Paul getting nervous, but a sense of acceptance filled his eyes. “Are you ready to go, babe?”

Paul shut his eyes, forcing back tears, nodding uncertainly. He stood up, buttoning up his blazer, and looked towards the portal knowing his fate was in the universe’s hands now. So there he stood, a young man, aged 33, in front of the portal to The Black and White in the portal room at Paranormal Extra-terrestrial Interdimensional Phenomena Headquarters located in Hatchetfield, Michigan. He knew that it was highly unlikely that, if he turned away now, he’d be able to score another chance at saving the world…if the world was General McNamara and his husband, that is.

He took a few smaller steps towards the frame, holding his hand out to the hissing fabric that held the alternate dimension from himself and the rest of the world. He watched the greens and the purples swirl around with the knowledge Drowsy Town was steps away. The initial anxiety settled in, merging with the ferocious deep pit in his stomach that hadn’t calmed. Without a weapon to his name aside from a small handgun that was tucked neatly in the inside of his blazer, he was a goner if this mission went wrong.

This was a life or death situation…but it could possibly be both.

With the note from Miss Holloway giving him the heads up, and a final glance at Emma- a _possible_ final glance at Emma, he stepped inside the portal, praying for the best. He felt as if he were spinning, being sucked into a pipe so tight he had no air left to breathe. Instinctively, he began to panic, trying to free himself. He writhed against himself, trying to hold his arms out to the sides, but with no success, began to panic further.

After eternities passed, he fell on all fours, spluttering as he gasped for air. A hand shot up to his chest, and just to confirm his thoughts, pressed two fingers to his neck. He’d survived. He was in The Black and White, and he was alive. He scrambled to his feet, taking deep breaths to calm himself. The earpiece he was wearing crackled, and he heard Emma’s voice, asking if he was okay. He sobbed, nodding. “Yeah- yeah Em, I can hear you…” He wiped his eyes and looked at his hands, that were stained red. He looked down, noticing his entire suit was stained red, and his breath hitched. “Okay- where do I need to go?”

_“Just walk straight in front of you, honey. You’ll know when to stop. You’ll see him.”_

“See who?” He asked with caution, and Emma’s soft laughter came from the other side of the line.

_“Don’t worry, Paul, okay? You’ll just see Xander. Then I’m gonna get directions off of Holloway to see where we can get you to go in order to reach The White. I’m with you every step of the way.”_

He felt an arm reach out and brush against his, and he could have sworn it was Emma. He rubbed his arm with his other hand as he continued wading through the thick liquid that was acting as a suction cup, trying to keep him still. He, however, was determined. Knowing Emma was with him in spirit gave him the smallest amount of hope he could wish for. He continued to walk until he heard a soft hum and saw the faintest blue glow up ahead. He knew who that was. It was too coincidental for it to _not_ be him.

He ran forward, and as his thoughts were confirmed, he grabbed the man’s arm. “Lieutenant?”

Immediately, the man spun around, his eyes widening at his colleague, placing his hands on his shoulders. “Paul? What the fuck are you doing here? You need to go-!”

“I’m here to take you to John.” He said and looked at Xander, exhaling deeply. “Look…you’re in The Black, and John is in The White.”

“They’re the same place, Paul. And John…he isn’t here. I’ve searched everywhere…”

“But not The White. Look, a long story short, Webby sectioned off part of the entire realm and kept it pristine. It’s where John is. John’s there, and he’s okay.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he communicated through your unconscious body is why. Micah, Lou and Kirk all heard it. He told us everything, and Emma got the charts recorded. Sir, he’s here, in The White, and I’ve been sent to take him to you.”

“Paul-“

“Xander.” He continued to look at the physicist, gripping his arm. “I-“

“How cute!” A deeper voice boomed around them, and Xander tipped his head back, groaning at once.

“For hell’s sake.” He let go of Paul and turned around, the familiar blonde haired goat standing at the front of a triangle formation, Wiggly and Pokey either side of him, Blinky and Nibbly at the back. “What’s your plan, Matthews? Save the world?”

“But you couldn’t save _Emma.”_ Pokey hummed, and the group burst out laughing.

“John isn’t hewe, Xandew. You know that, we know that.” Wiggly continued, and Tinky smirked.

“So what’s the point in trying to find this so claimed ‘ _White.’”_ The group laughed again, and Tinky walked forward, dragging his hand up Xander’s chest. “It’d be a shame, really, wouldn’t it? To come so far, to try and find your husband, and you end up with this monstrosity. Paul Matthews, hey? It’s an honour to meet you. Though, I assure you, you’ve already met my brothers even if you don’t remember it. It’s worrying, actually. As to why I haven’t met you guys yet. You and Emma…” he shuddered excitedly. “The _fun_ we’d have in our little box! In The Bastard’s Box…It’d be quite a party.” He pulled the box out from his own blazer pocket and held it in his hands, ignoring the delicacy of it. It looked like the goat was about to say something, but a gunshot cut him off. The goat fell still, his eyes wide and focused straight ahead. To everyone’s surprise, he fell. He fell backwards, his entire being dissolving into yellow particles that dusted around the blood, turning it a lighter shade of red, borderline purple.

The Bastard’s Box was tossed up into the air, and with the other god’s watching their brother fall to his demise, Xander caught it before it could fall into the blood with the others. Once the initial shock of their brother’s passing subsided, they all turned to Paul, but Paul remained calm. Even as they took their swipes at Paul, one bullet ended their everything, and rightfully so. The remaining four entities became dust as they collapsed into the blood, and once Wiggly’s dust had vanished…the blood cleared, and the realm began to shake.

As it did, the black faded, crumbling downwards, and piece by piece, the white began to shine through. The blood on the floor drained to reveal the true floor of The Black and White. Within minutes, The Black had fallen, and the realm became as pristine had been years before. Xander looked at Paul, taking in his sights, and handed the box over to him. “Take it.”

Nervously, he took the box as he heard Emma’s praise come through comms. “I guess this is our goodbye, Xander…unless you’re coming?”

Xander looked around. If this was The White Paul had been talking about, then where was he? Where was John? He sighed but nodded. “I may as well go home-“

“Firefly?!”

Xander whipped his head around, as did Paul, and Xander’s heart throbbed in his chest at the sight of him. He looked healthy, not a blood stain in sight. His golden hair was healthy, bouncing in clear waves, and the _suit_ he was wearing was…he looked younger. He looked healthier. He looked like the man he’d fallen in love with. Xander swallowed and nodded as his lip shook, holding back tears. It had been a lifetime since he’d seen him last, or so it seemed. He began to walk forward, as did the other, and they met in the middle, holding each other as if their lives depended on it.

Their lives _did_ depend on it.

Xander bunched John’s hair up into his hand and held him close as John buried into his shoulder. “Honeybee…” His voice shook when he talked, and John nodded, not moving from his husband’s arms.

“You idiot. You stupid _fucking_ idiot…what are you doing here?!”

“Paul just killed the entities, sweetheart. And-and I’m in a coma and-“

“I know that part but-“ He looked up at Xander and tears began to fall from his eyes. “You’re so, _so_ stupid Alexander.”

“I’m not the stupid one.” His voice was soft, delicate, as he cupped John’s cheek and brushed his tears away.

They stayed like that for a while until John spoke up again. “You can’t stay here. You know you can’t. You belong back on Earth.”

“No, no he doesn’t.” That was the first time Webby had spoken up on the matter. They both turned around to face her, and Webby smiled slightly. “Xander, you have two options. You can either move on back on Earth with John’s spirit beside you, or stay here. I will keep your bodies stable on Earth and ensure nothing happens to them, but until the day John’s injuries heal, he won’t wake up. Xander, until your heart heals, _you_ won’t wake up.”

“So I’m staying.” He looked back into John’s eyes and smiled wide. “I’m staying with the light of my life.” At the news, John cupped his cheek and pulled him directly into a kiss, not holding back as the two of them fell on their backs.

Wincing slightly, Webby wrapped one of her many arms around Paul, nodding to him. “Let’s get you out of here son. I’ll keep them safe.”

Paul nodded, and with another flash of light, he was back in HQ, where Holloway rushed to his side.

“Are you okay?” She asked, checking him over, and Paul nodded.

“Xander he- they’re reunited, the gods are dead, and Xander chose to stay with John. Webby, the spider, she’s tall uh, she said she’s gonna keep John and Xander’s bodies somewhat alive I think? But uh…”

“The box.” She said, gesturing to what was in his hand.

He nodded and sat down on the chair beside Emma, resting his head against her shoulder, practically curling up. “Here, you can have it.”

She nodded and took The Box from his hand. After everything, she held the universe in her hand. She placed it on the desk, and grabbing a pocket knife from her blazer, she twisted into it mercilessly. A bright yellow light filled the room, the same golden dust particles filling PEIP, and it soon crumbled away. She looked back to Paul and Emma, who were both dressed in normal clothes, Emma’s leg healed entirely, and she smiled. “It’s all okay now. It’s all okay. I assure you.”

They had no choice but to believe her. With the Gods dead, with John and Xander reunited and The Box destroyed releasing all souls captive…nothing could go wrong anymore. PEIP was safe. And that night, in early February, Emma and Paul Matthews went home, hand in hand, not having to worry about anything anymore. They were safe. They were free.

_They Were Free._

* * *

**Date: July 28 th 2022**

**Location: The Edge of PEIP HQ**

**Dimension: 4**

The sun beamed down through the curtains that they’d forgotten to close the night before. After placing their kid in bed and getting her asleep, there wasn’t anything else left to do rather than end the night in each other’s arms in a celebratory cause. Clothes lay discarded carelessly with the only want being him, being _them._ Dark bruises on his pale skin couldn’t express the joy he’d been feeling so early on.

Two men stirred awake, the shorter of the two lying against the other’s chest. The first awake was the Major, who buried into his fiancé’s neck, pressing a soft kiss against the bare skin, tossing an arm over his bare chest. The other man, the Sergeant, stirred as well, pulling him close to him. He opened his eyes and looked down at the curly haired man on top of him, kissing the top of his hair. The other man groaned out of protest, tucking his head under his chin, and the Sergeant smiled. “How are you feeling?” He croaked, the early morning affecting him deeply.

“My ass hurts…worth it.” He felt his fiancé try to sit up, and he clung on tightly. “Key-“

“Someone’s gotta go wake the baby. We’ve got work, and Lillia promised to take her shopping because she’s been a good girl lately.”

“Sweetheart, she’s 5. She’s hardly a baby.”

“Either way, if she comes bounding in here and we’re both naked…” he smirked and raised an eyebrow, watching the distress settle on his fiancé’s face. He sat up, probably too quickly, changing into his pyjama bottoms and boxers before laying back down. “We’ve gotta meet with Schaffer, you know. She’s gonna wanna know the updates we’ve made to the schedule.” 

“It’s only a few days away…” The smaller man sighed, and he looked up, smiling. “Go and wake your daughter.”

“Yes, sir.” The Sergeant kissed him on the forehead and hopped off the bed, changing into his uniform, looking at the man still lying on the bed. “Hey. 4 years ago, they defeated The Apotheosis.”

“Yeah, in a different dimension.” He laughed and sat up, grabbing his contact lenses. “What about it?”

He shrugged. “We survived the crisis, babe. That’s all.”

“Kian White, we weren’t even there you sap-“

“Oh, hush. I’m _trying_ to be sentimental.”

“And you are _failing.”_ He hopped off the bed, watching as Kian picked up a very sleepy Poppy and reassured her she was going to her auntie Lillia, the two of them walking downstairs, where Lillia was waiting. After a quick handoff to her aunt, Poppy soon went back to sleep, enabling the two men to relax. “Have you got wedding fever or something, dear?”

“No, but you certainly do, _Benjamin.”_

“Shut up.”

Kian laughed and ruffled Benny’s hair, scooping him up bridal style, carrying him into their living room, placing him on the couch. “Good sir, I’m going to make the finest coffee in the house, and I am going to spoil you all day.”

“Haha, sure.” Benny rolled his eyes, readjusting how his hair was as Kian laughed, walking into the other room. It gave Benny some time to readjust his wedding plans. In three days, he’d be welcome Kian White, soon to be Slate, into his family. In three days, he’d have to make a commitment he’d never thought of having, and it frightened him, but as Kian said, they’d survived the crisis they had to live through three years ago, what could go wrong?

He flipped over the pages in the planner and came across the guest list. He read over the list of names and bit on his lip. It didn’t feel wrong to not have her name on there, but it wasn’t right to leave her off either. Him getting married would be the start of something new. It had been three years since they’d last spoken. He was ready to see her again. He picked up a pen and wrote a single name at the bottom of the guest list, closing it before he was ready to regret it.

He grabbed an invitation and decided to write one more out before placing it on her desk by the end of the day once they’d arrived at PEIP. His hand was trembling slightly, but he was doing the best that he could as he wrote out her name.

_Lieutenant (First) Louisiana McNamara,  
You’ve probably heard of the wedding occurring in three days time. This is your invitation to attend. I would like to see you again. It’s been three years. I wish you and Ruthie well._

_Ben._

He folded it up, placing it in the envelope as Kian walked back in, two mugs of coffee in hand. He looked at his fiancé and furrowed his eyebrows. “Hey? You okay.”

Benny exhaled before looking up at him, nodding. “Never better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> motherFUCKER they cute anyways notes:
> 
> if you follow me on instagram, you probably saw book 5 was going to go by the initials "ISYL." Well thats a lie i changed it. it's now "WSTC." it focuses primarily on a group i like to call the peip juniors....but a few old friends assist along the way. 
> 
> also if we throw it back to something you pine for, weddings dont fucking end well.
> 
> hint: book 5 will be published sometime between later today and the 14th feb. i'm just dropping iconicness. i hppe you cried because i didnt but i did cry at a wolfstar fic last night- it's one am im doped on jaffa cakes good night and see you for book 5 ig 
> 
> also i cant stop watching rocky horror. i want sweet tranvestite and over at the frankenstein place to fucking murder me viciously in human form

**Author's Note:**

> i hope u have had a lot of fun so far with ur stay at da blinky land, leave a comment if u want to i won't be offended
> 
> but i will be offended if i hear any of u making fun of my one eyed child and his older brother.


End file.
